Las Vegas Aces coach Becky Hammon did not mince words after they lost to the Golden State Valkyries, 71-60, in Game 1 of their semifinals series at Michelob ULTRA Arena on Sunday.

The Aces shot 21-of-62 from the field for 34%. They averaged 91.5 points in the regular season, second-best in the league behind the Indiana Fever's 96.0 points. They were pummeled in the interior, with the Valkyries outscoring them in the paint, 34-18.

The defending champions were also outrebounded, 52-25, giving up 17 offensive boards to Golden State.

Hammon was far from pleased with their performance, but she still found a silver lining in the loss.

“The good news is we played like a**, and only lost by 10,” said the blunt tactician.

"The good news is we played like a*s and only lost by 10."

Aces head coach Becky Hammon kept it real following her team's Game 1 Semifinals loss to the Valkyries on Sunday 😳

(via @espnW) pic.twitter.com/0g9aJ4P3ra

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) October 5, 2026

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A'ja Wilson had 24 points on 8-of-21 shooting and four rebounds, while Chelsea Gray scored 18 points on 16 points on 5-of-14 shooting, four rebounds, and three assists.

The Valkyries could have won bigger had they not struggled from the field as well, going 26-of-69 for 38%. They had eight more turnovers than the Aces.

The Aces tied the franchise's lowest output in the playoffs. The team, then known as the San Antonio Silver Stars, scored 60 points in Game 3 of the 2008 WNBA Finals against the Detroit Shock. Incidentally, Hammon was part of that squad. She scored five points on 1-of-10 shooting in the loss.

She acknowledged their awful showing yet remained unfazed heading into Game 2 at Chase Center on Wednesday.

“We don't have a lot of time to sulk about it. Nobody feels bad for us. It's just the next woman up. We went to the zone a little late, just trying to recoup some legs, with some people playing some high minutes. I thought that was one of our more atrocious games of the season,” said Hammon.

The Aces are looking for their fourth title in five years.