2014 – the year Alyssa Thomas stepped into the WNBA and the year Becky Hammon took her final bow. When the rookie and the vet first crossed paths, Hammon’s experience easily outshone the newcomer; AT couldn’t crack double digits. But when they met again – one last time as players – the tables turned. Thomas clamped down on Hammon, holding her to single digits as the Sun defeated then-San Antonio, leveling the series. Little did they know that wasn’t the last time they’d find themselves on opposite sides.

Now Hammon’s calling the shots for her Aces, chasing a third title in four years, while Thomas, in her new Mercury era, is on a mission to bring the Valley its fourth championship. And if there’s anyone who knows what Alyssa Thomas brings to the floor, it’s Hammon. Before Game 2, when asked how her team simulates AT, Hammon didn’t even pretend to have the answer. Instead, she gave one of the best compliments a player could get.

“I think Alyssa Thomas is probably the one player in the league that could switch and play professional football,” Hammon said. “I can’t really simulate her. We try to get the guys to do stuff, but she’s just a different animal in our league. There’s nobody like her, who does what she does and how she does it.”

With the kind of season Thomas has had, we can’t help but agree. She runs the offense, dismantles defenses, sets up teammates, punishes mismatches, defends A’ja Wilson, owns the boards, and somehow still drops 15, 10, and 9 (one assist shy of another triple-double).  Speaking of which, let’s not forget those eight triple-doubles this regular season when the rest of the league combined for seven.

That’s Alyssa Thomas for you!

Some might have taken the “football” comment as a subtle dig, especially given all the talk around Thomas’s physicality after Napheesa Collier’s injury in the semis and the heated discussions around physicality getting out of hand in the W. But Hammon clearly meant it as praise, calling AT’s toughness her “natural physicality.”

Well, to put it simply, Thomas’s physicality really depends on how you choose to see it. The W has always been a physical league, that’s nothing new. It’s just that players today are stronger, faster, and the game itself is more intense. Sure, no one wants to see bruises or injuries, but it’s also true that at 33, Thomas has built her entire identity on that toughness. That’s just her game. And even if you are not a fan of that, I’m sure you still consider her one of the best players in the league. How could someone not?

In her 12-year career, Thomas has made the playoffs eight times, averaging 15.2 points per game. This postseason, she’s been even better with 18.1 points, 9.1 assists, and 8.6 rebounds per game, leading the Mercury in all three categories. Sure, she missed two crucial free throws that could’ve sealed Game 1, but Hammon admitted how she made things tough for Vegas early with that relentless pick-and-roll.

We know that Phoenix is at its best when AT runs the pick-and-roll with a guard, drawing smaller defenders onto her. That’s exactly how the Mercury came out blazing in Game 1. But once the Aces switched to a zone defense, things changed fast. The adjustment clogged up the paint, threw Phoenix off rhythm, and helped Vegas grind out an 89–86 win.  Still, as the Las Vegas HC admitted, “it hurt them.”

Heading into Game 2, she has just one thing on her mind, or maybe one hope.

Becky Hammon’s ‘crystal ball’ prediction for Game 2 

It was a beautiful game of basketball, plain and simple. The kind we expect from the Finals. Game 1 had everything: intensity, lead changes, and two evenly matched teams fighting till the last buzzer. Now, as Game 2 tips off (still in Vegas)  the pressure is squarely on Phoenix. Another Aces win, and things might start to feel heavy for the Mercury.

And if Game 1 was any indication, Becky Hammon knows her team better than anyone. Ahead of Friday’s clash, the Aces coach had predicted that her bench would be the X-factor, and she couldn’t have been more right. “I think we have the best overall bench that we’ve had since I’ve been here,” Hammon said confidently. Fast forward a few hours, and the Aces’ bench outscored the Mercury’s 41–16. Dana Evans led the way with a scorching 21 points on 8-of-13 shooting in just 26 minutes, while Jewell Loyd added 18 of her own.

So yes, Coach Hammon’s “crystal ball” was working just fine. “I have a crystal ball at home,” Hammon joked, before making another bold call, “I predict our defense will be better.” Her star forward A’ja Wilson quickly jumped in, laughing, “Please predict that!” But it’s more than humor, prediction, or wish; it’s strategy.

Phoenix thrives off its switching defense and hot shooting (especially when the game is on the line, we have seen that before), ranking No. 1 in defensive rating among playoff teams. The Aces, meanwhile, lead the postseason in offensive rating. It’s that perfect contrast: defense vs. offense. We hope the Aces must be locked in on defense from the tip-off, rather than relying on second-half adjustments if they plan to move 2-0.