{
  "id": 9129834,
  "title": "‘No advantage’: Aces coach expresses displeasure at WNBA first-round playoff format",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/22/no-advantage-aces-coach-expresses-displeasure-at-wnba-first-round",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-22T11:05:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/no-advantage-aces-coach-expresses-110500152.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Becky Hammon, the coach of the Las Vegas Aces, has expressed her dissatisfaction with the current WNBA first-round playoff format. In a video posted on the Aces' YouTube channel, Hammon argued that the 1-1-1 system does not provide a significant advantage to the higher seeds. The Aces, currently third in the league with a 29-13 record, are expected to be among the top seeds in the 2026 playoffs. However, Hammon believes that the format should be changed to a 2-1 setup or a five-game series in the first round. While acknowledging that it is not her decision to make, Hammon stated, \"The 1-1-1, I don’t think, is a good setup. It is what it is. It should be 2-1 or go to a five-game series because the 1-1-1 is no advantage for the higher seed, really. It’s nothing.\" The Aces are set to face the sixth-seeded Washington Mystics in the first round, who recently defeated the Indiana Fever 93-77.",
  "summary": "Las Vegas Aces coach Becky Hammon has commented on the WNBA playoff format recently and suggested that the current system means that the higher seeds have no advantage in the first round. The Aces are currently third in the league with a record of 29-13, having two games left to play.",
  "key_points": [
    "Becky Hammon, Las Vegas Aces coach, criticizes 1-1-1 playoff format.",
    "Aces coach suggests 2-1 setup or five-game series for first round.",
    "Aces to face sixth-seeded Washington Mystics in first round."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}