A’ja Wilson Makes History, But Indiana Fever Shocks Aces in WNBA Semifinals Game 1
The Sunday began with historic news: A’ja Wilson, star of the Las Vegas Aces, became the first player in league history to win four MVP awards.
However, hours later, on the Aces’ court, the sixth-seeded Indiana Fever pulled off a surprise by stealing the first game of the WNBA semi-final series, defeating the second-seeded Aces with a score of 89-73 at the Michelob Ultra Arena.
Kelsey Mitchell of Indiana was the star of the game, scoring 34 points on 12 of 23 field goals. This performance makes her the first Fever player to score 30 points in a playoff game since 2012.
Wilson, for his part, finished with 16 points, with a low shooting percentage (6 of 22). The Aces, after winning 17 consecutive games, have lost two of their last three games.
How did the Indiana Fever take the first game?
Indiana proved to be a faster team with more urgency from the start of the match. The aggressiveness of the Fever players, especially Mitchell and Odyssey Sims, set the tone of the game, something the Aces couldn’t counter.
The confidence that Indiana gained after winning two consecutive games against the Atlanta Dream in the first round carried over to Las Vegas.
The Aces found no answer for Mitchell, who scored 34 points, his playoff personal best, on 12-of-23 shooting. Sims also posed a problem for Las Vegas, with 17 points and 7-of-13 shooting.
With Wilson struggling with her shot and the Las Vegas defenses unable to defend effectively, the Aces didn’t have the answers needed to overcome Indiana’s offensive efficiency and their 50% shooting accuracy.
How will Las Vegas respond in the second game?
The Aces will need to improve their defense. After ranking ninth in the WNBA in defensive rating during their 14-14 start, Las Vegas improved to rank second during their winning streak.
In particular, Indiana outscored Las Vegas in the paint, scoring 50 points. The Aces only allowed more than that five times all season.
The other obvious adjustment for Las Vegas is to get Wilson into rhythm. Indiana did a good job taking away three-point opportunities from the Aces, who only attempted 17.
The best-of-five series gives Las Vegas room for error. The Aces lost Game 1 of the 2020 semifinals before coming back to beat the Connecticut Sun in five games.
Las Vegas remains the favorite in the series, but Game 2 is now essentially a must-win for the Aces.
During their 17-game winning streak, the Aces only beat three playoff teams away from home, so losing home-court advantage could be important. That dominance at the Michelob Ultra is now gone, and Las Vegas knows it must now win in Indiana. Meanwhile, the Fever’s victory also dispels any idea that their two regular season wins over Las Vegas were not significant because the Aces hadn’t yet hit their stride. Indiana has now won three of the four matchups between the two teams.
