Photo Credit: Las Vegas Aces/Instagram
By: Jennifer Portee
A’ja Wilson opened the postseason the way a three-time MVP is supposed to open it: in control from the first possession and nearly impossible to move off her spots.
Wilson scored 38 points, pulled down 16 rebounds and blocked four shots as the Las Vegas Aces beat the Indiana Fever 102-85 on Sunday in Game 1 of their first-round WNBA playoff series. The third-seeded Aces can close out the series Tuesday in Indiana, while the sixth-seeded Fever need a win at home to force a deciding Game 3 back in Las Vegas.
Wilson was efficient from the start, finishing 15-for-19 from the field and matching her playoff career high in points. She had 22 by halftime on 9-for-11 shooting, along with six rebounds and three blocks, while Las Vegas built a 62-47 lead it never seriously gave up.
“She understands the stakes fully,” Aces coach Becky Hammon said. “She was a clinic tonight.”
The performance came hours after Wilson was named AP WNBA Player of the Year for a third straight season. The crowd responded with “MVP” chants at the free-throw line, but Wilson did most of her damage before she ever got there. Indiana tried to meet her early in the paint, but she was too quick on the catch and too strong once she got a shoulder into the defender. When the Fever brought help, Las Vegas made the extra pass and made them pay somewhere else.
Jackie Young finished with 21 points and 10 assists, Chelsea Gray had 14 points and eight assists, and Jewell Loyd added 10. Gray also passed Courtney Vandersloot for second place on the WNBA’s career playoff assists list, moving to 397.
“When she’s on it like that, get out of the way,” Gray said of Wilson. “It’s a blessing to be able to see this every single day. You can’t wait until a person retires to appreciate greatness. You’ve got to appreciate it while it’s happening.”
The Fever had no shortage of reasons for the loss. Indiana turned the ball over 17 times, and the Aces converted those mistakes into 28 points. That is where the game got away. A few loose passes and rushed drives became transition chances for Las Vegas, and the defending champions do not waste many of those.
Aliyah Boston led Indiana with 18 points and eight rebounds while playing through a lower-leg injury. Caitlin Clark had 15 points and 10 assists, but the Aces made her work for every clean look. Kelsey Mitchell, who entered with a 27-game streak of 20-point performances, was held to 12 points on 4-for-16 shooting.
“I thought our actions were sloppy,” Clark said. “I thought what we were running wasn’t great and nobody got an easier open look.”
Fever coach Stephanie White pointed to the same issue: Indiana did not match Las Vegas’ sharpness on either end.
“Give Vegas credit,” White said. “They’re defending champions for a reason. They understand the moment. They understand the playoffs require a different level of intensity and urgency, and they came with it.”
Las Vegas led by as many as 27 in the second half and came close to its franchise postseason record for points in a half. The Aces were not flawless, but they were composed, connected and decisive—three things that matter when the stakes rise.
“I think we just showed up to work,” Wilson said.
That is exactly how it looked. The Aces played like a team familiar with this stage. The Fever now have one game to clean up the turnovers, find more space for Clark and Mitchell, and avoid letting Wilson dictate the game again.