Becky Hammon has a wealth of coaching experience.

Prior to taking the helm as the head coach of the Las Vegas Aces in 2022, Hammon worked alongside Gregg Popovich as an assistant coach with the San Antonio Spurs from 2014 to 2021. As the two-time defending champions, the Aces currently find themselves behind the New York Liberty 0-2 in the WNBA playoff semifinals, prompting Hammon to draw comparisons between the Spurs and the Liberty.

“I often think about the Spurs, especially in relation to the Miami Heat. In 2013, (the Spurs) suffered a devastating loss to Miami due to crucial errors: offensive rebounds and three-pointers,” Hammon recounted, reminiscing about the Spurs’ heartbreaking 95-88 defeat in Game 7 of the NBA Finals that year. “They should have clinched the title that season. After that loss, they came back the next year with unmatched drive, discipline, and focus, making it impossible for anyone to defeat them in 2014.”

In this analogy, the New York Liberty represent the Spurs. Last year, the Aces squeaked past the Liberty 70-69 in Game 4 of the WNBA Finals to secure the series 3-1, marking their second consecutive title.

Since then, the Aces have not managed to beat the Liberty. New York has swept the Aces in all three of their clashes this year, winning one at home and two in Las Vegas. Currently, the Liberty lead the best-of-five semifinal series 2-0 as it heads to Las Vegas for Game 5 on Friday.

“The Spurs experienced a big loss in 2013. Similarly, the Liberty faced a significant defeat last year, and I see parallels there,” Hammon explained. “They thought they had a chance, but we ended up taking it from them. I believe we were the superior team. I’m sure they feel a sense of loss as if something was taken from them.”

Hammon went on to say, “Throughout the past two years, we’ve only won once in New York that was Game 4. Besides that, they have dominated us.”

Hammon acknowledged the Liberty as the top team in the league this year and addressed her team’s current challenges in their pursuit of a third consecutive title.

“We haven’t maintained our edge all year. We found it over the last month. Though we’ve made significant strides, the feeling has been different from the start. This is why winning three titles in a row is so difficult,” Hammon noted. “The entire league has been motivated against us for the past eight months, while my players have become celebrities and star in commercials, leading to distractions. That’s the challenge; human nature creates distractions.”

The Aces will aim to keep their hopes for a three-peat alive in Game 5 on Friday.