Defensive Reinforcements Propel the Las Vegas Aces to New Heights
The offseason acquisitions of Candace Parker and Alysha Clark add new defensive fire to an already star-studded team.
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To call the 2022 Las Vegas Aces merely a “good” team would be an understatement. They got off to a franchise record best 9-1 start on their way to their first WNBA title, collecting a swath of individual accolades as they did so.
But even the best teams have flaws, and for Las Vegas, that was on the defensive side. Despite having the Defensive Player of the Year and league-leading rebounder A’ja Wilson, the Aces’ defensive rating of 101.2 points allowed per 100 possessions was good for just seventh overall.
That’s not terrible by any means, but for a team of young superstars with a dynasty-like ceiling, it wouldn’t cut it. With a target on the team’s back in 2023, the Aces have stepped up and locked down.
Safe to say, it’s going pretty well so far. Las Vegas is 17-2, and despite an upset loss to Dallas on Friday, has far and away the league’s best record. Their consistently-lauded offense is not only the best in the league but is on track to be the best of all time.
But the real improvement for the Aces has been on the defensive end. Their defensive rating has improved to a league-leading 93.9, with the most notable improvements in their perimeter defense. So, where have the Aces found their new defensive fire?
First and foremost, in free agency. Bringing in two-time MVP and 2020 Defensive Player of the Year Candace Parker is bound to bolster anyone’s defensive presence, and under-heralded guard Alysha Clark has two All-Defense selections in her own right.
Parker and Clark have taken a more complementary role to the Aces’ “Core Four” of Wilson, Jackie Young, Kelsey Plum, and Chelsea Gray, but both bring the defensive versatility that the team lacked in previous years. Parker can operate all over the floor, from pairing with Wilson in the paint to matching up with guards on the perimeter.
It’s on the perimeter that Parker has been the most useful so far for Las Vegas. So far this season, the Aces have held their opponents to just 28.7% three-point shooting with Parker on the floor. When she comes off, that number skyrockets to 40.1%.
Additionally, Las Vegas currently ranks fourth in the league in opponent’s 3-pointers made per game, a massive improvement from dead last in 2022. That’s in no small part thanks to Parker. Just for good measure, she’s also averaging 1.5 steals, her most since 2017.
But Parker isn’t the only player who has stepped up on the defensive side. While sometimes overlooked compared to Parker, having Alysha Clark come off the bench provides a much-needed offensive and defensive spark to the Aces’ second unit.
One of the concerns with last year’s Aces was that their starting five would eventually run out of gas, and the bench wouldn’t be able to do enough to keep them afloat. That didn’t happen, but Clark’s acquisition gives Las Vegas a starting-caliber player to bolster their second unit.
Clark has built-in versatility, a product of starting her career as an undersized post player before developing her outside shot at the WNBA level. She’s strong enough to match up in the paint but can also use her quick-footedness and athleticism to run guards off the perimeter.
Clark can guard almost any position and rises to the occasion despite drawing some of the opponent’s toughest defensive assignments. She guarded Breanna Stewart in last week’s superteam showdown, holding last year’s league-leading scorer to just three points and two shot attempts over the 20 possessions they were on the floor together.
While bringing in Parker and Clark is a surefire boost to Las Vegas’ defense, that overlooks the increased contributions of their returning players. Young has been disruptive in the passing lanes with a career-high 2% steal rate, while Wilson’s production hasn’t been affected by playing alongside Parker in the paint. In fact, her total rebounding rate of 18% is on track to be a career high.
Off the bench, Kiah Stokes has been one of the brightest spots of the Aces’ returning players and has only grown into her role with extended minutes. Stokes’ 5.6 rebounds per contest is second on the team only to Wilson, and her defensive rebounding rate of 25.5% is on pace to be a career high. Per PBP Stats, Las Vegas’ strongest defensive pairing is the combo of Stokes and Parker, who have an 84.9 defensive rating in 98 minutes played together.
With an influx of new defensive talent and existing players making strides, the Aces have solidified themselves as one of the best teams in the league on both sides of the ball. Time will tell if another team steps up to the challenge, but for now, the Aces continue their indomitable march toward another title.
All numbers in this piece are as of games played through July 10th.
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