Aces beat short-handed Mercury for Hammon’s first victory

PHOENIX (AP) — Dearica Hamby scored 24 points and the Las Vegas Aces won in Becky Hammon’s first game as coach, beating the short-handed Phoenix Mercury 106-88 on Friday night to open the WNBA season. Phoenix was without Brittney Griner as she nears the three-month mark of her detention in Russia with no timetable for her release. Hammon replaced Bill Laimbeer with the Aces after serving as an assistant coach for the NBA’s San Antonio Spurs since 2014. Kelsey Plum added 20 points, six rebounds and seven assists, and Jackie Young also had 20 points. Skylar Diggins-Smith scored 12 of her 25 points in the third quarter for Phoenix. Diana Taurasi was held to nine points on 3-of-11 shooting.