Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon said four-time All-Star A’ja Wilson “doesn’t normally like two stinkers in a row” following the Aces’s semifinal loss to the Indiana Fever in Game 1 on Sunday.
Hammon didn’t lie.
The No. 2 seed Aces blew out the No. 6 seed Fever 90-68 in Game 2 on Tuesday at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas to even the best-of-five semifinal series behind a dominant offensive and defensive performance from Wilson, who finished with 25 points, nine rebounds, five steals (a playoff career high) and two blocks in 33 minutes.
The Aces improve to 11-0 in the postseason when Wilson scores 25 or more points. She’s the fourth player in WNBA playoff history with 25 or more points and five or more steals in a game.
‘Got it back tonight, but we were angry with ourselves (after Game 1)… for not playing Aces basketball,’ said Chelsea Gray, who had 10 assists and three steals, in addition to six points. ‘Defensively we were just engaged from the start of the game.’
Hammon challenged the rest of her team to ‘give (Wilson) support’ and the Aces responded. Coming off a four-point performance in Game 1, forward NaLyssa Smith turned up the aggression and scored 18 points, a career playoff high, and grabbed seven rebounds. Jackie Young added 10 points, four assists and three rebounds and the Aces bench contributed 24 points, led by 10 from Jewell Loyd and Dana Evans. The Aces shot 53.8% from the field and 41.7% from 3.
Kelsey Mitchell had an off night and was held to 13 points, shooting 4-of-13 from the field and 1-of-6 from 3. Odyssey Sims had a team-high 16 points, while Aliyah Boston finished with a 10-point, 13-rebound double-double. Lexie Hull finished with 15 points and the bench contributed six points.
The semifinal series shifts to Indianapolis for Game 3 on Friday. Here’s everything you need to know about Game 2 of the WNBA semifinals between the Indiana Fever and Las Vegas Aces:
End of Q3: Aces 70, Fever 52
Have yourself a night, NaLyssa Smith.
The Las Vegas forward is up to 16 points (a playoff career high), six rebounds, one steal and one assist on Tuesday against the Indiana Fever, the team that drafted Smith second overall in the 2022.
‘It’s playoffs. It’s the will to win. It’s not the first to win one game, it’s the first to win a series. We campout here with different energy,’ said Smith, who played through four fouls. ‘They tell me I need me so I do what I got to do to help this team out.’
The Aces outscored the Fever 24-17 in the third quarter and led by as many as 22 points.
A’ja Wilson has a game-high 21 points and is one rebound short of a double-double with nine rebounds, four steals and two blocks, while Jackie Young is up to 10 points, four assists and three rebounds.
Kelsey Mitchell scored a playoff career high 34 points in the Fever’s Game 1 win, but the All-Star guard has been held in check Tuesday and has been limited to 13 points, shooting 4-of-13 from the field and 1-of-6 from 3. The Fever struggled to get going offensively in the third quarter as a whole, missing nine straight shots in the frame.
The Fever only have three bench points, while the Aces have 17.
Halftime: Aces 46, Fever 35
The Aces led by as many as 18 points in the first half, but the Fever went on a 11-0 run in the second quarter to cut the deficit to 11 points at halftime.
Aces center A’ja Wilson has a team-high 13 points, four rebounds and two steals. NaLyssa Smith added 10 points, shooting 5-of-6 from the field after being held to four points in Game 1. Jackie Young recorded 10 points, three assists and two rebounds.
Kelsey Mitchell (3-of-8 FG, 1-of-5 3PT) and Lexie Hull (3-of-10 FG, 3-of-6 3PT) each have nine points for the Fever.
The Aces shot 55.9% from the field and 3-of-5 from the 3-point line, while the Fever shot 40% from the field and 5-of-13 from 3. The Aces were 5-of-5 from the free throw line, while the Fever were 2-of-2.
The Fever have an advantage on the boards with 18 rebounds (eight offensive), compared to 14 for the Aces, while Las Vegas is dominating the paint 26-16.
What time is Fever vs. Aces Game 2?
Game 2 of the WNBA semifinals series between the No. 2 seed Las Vegas Aces and No. 6 seed Indiana Fever is scheduled to tip off at 9:30 p.m. ET (6:30 p.m. local) on Tuesday, Sept. 23 at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas.
How to watch Fever vs. Aces WNBA playoffs: TV, stream for Game 2
- Date: Tuesday, Sept. 23
- Time: 9:30 p.m. ET (6:30 p.m. PT)
- Location: Michelob ULTRA Arena (Las Vegas)
- TV: ESPN
- Stream: Fubo, ESPN Unlimited
Stream Fever-Aces series on Fubo (free trial)
Aces sharing the ball
After having 12 assists and 12 turnovers in Game 1, the Las Vegas Aces already have nine assists in Game 2 with a little more than seven minutes to go in the half.
First quarter: Aces 26, Fever 17
For the first time in the 2025 WNBA playoffs, the Fever are trailing after the first quarter.
The Aces have picked up their defensive intensity, forcing six Fever turnovers that have lead to eight points.
‘We can still play up-tempo, but we have to be under control a little more,’ Kelsey Mitchell, who had four points for the Fever in the first quarter, said. ‘We just have to take what they give us.’
A’ja Wilson has 11 points and three rebounds to lead Las Vegas. Jewell Loyd has five points off the bench.
Fever-Aces off to a fast start
It was a track meet in the first five minutes, as the Indiana Fever tried to set a fast pace. Lexie Hull, who was listed as questionable, started the scoring with a 3-pointer for the Fever. Teammate Aliyah Boston has four rebounds.
NaLyssa Smith has four points for the Las Vegas Aces.
Indiana Fever starting lineup
Head coach: Stephanie White
- 0 Kelsey Mitchell | G 5′ 8′ – Ohio State
- 1 Odyssey Sims | G 5′ 8′ – Baylor
- 6 Natasha Howard | F 6′ 3′ – Florida State
- 7 Aliyah Boston | C 6′ 5′ – South Carolina
- 10 Lexie Hull | G 6′ 1′ – Stanford
Lexie Hull will play in Game 2
Hull popped up on the Fever’s injury report on Tuesday due to back soreness, but is good to go for Game 2. She was listed among Indiana’s starting five ahead of tipoff.
Fever injury report: Lexie Hull questionable
Fever guard Lexie Hull (back) was listed as questionable on Tuesday’s injury report. Earlier Tuesday, Hull admitted after shoot-around that she’s ‘a little sore. I’m not going to lie.’ Hull added, ‘It’s catching up to me. We’re just going to keep getting warm and keep going out there and try to forget about the pain … but that’s everyone. Every one is playing with bumps and bruises.’ Hull is averaging 7.2 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game this season.
Chloe Bibby (left knee), Caitlin Clark (right groin), Sydney Colson (left knee), Sophie Cunningham (right knee), Damiris Dantas (concussion protocol) and Aari McDonald (right foot) have all been ruled out for Game 2.
Las Vegas Aces starting lineup
Head coach: Becky Hammon
- 0 Jackie Young | G 6′ 0′ – Notre Dame
- 1 Kierstan Bell | F 6′ 1′ – Florida Gulf Coast
- 3 NaLyssa Smith | F 6′ 4′ – Baylor
- 12 Chelsea Gray | G 5′ 11′ – Duke
- 22 A’ja Wilson | C 6′ 5′ – South Carolina
Kelsey Mitchell has been carrying the Indiana Fever — it’s time everyone noticed
In a tumultuous season defined by injuries and resilience, Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell has remained a constant.
Mitchell has, in fact, been a constant for the Fever organization ever since she was drafted No. 2 overall out of Ohio State in 2018. She’s endured ups and downs during her eight-year career in Indiana, including six losing seasons and five different head coaches, enough turmoil to send any top pick packing.
But Mitchell never bailed and the 29-year-old is now leading the Fever’s improbable postseason charge.
‘There have been multiple times this season where (Mitchell) has put us on her back and she’s carried us,’ Indiana head coach Stephanie White said on Sunday after the Fever upset the Las Vegas Aces 89-73 to steal Game 1 of the WNBA playoff semifinals behind Mitchell’s 34-point performance. Full story here.
Are Caitlin Clark’s Air Force 1s the key to Indiana Fever’s playoff success?
Caitlin Clark may not be able to play for the Indiana Fever, but she’s clearly trying to influence her teammates with her shoe game. The All-Star guard, who is out with a right groin injury, has worn black Nike Air Force 1 sneakers for the last three games of the playoffs. The Fever’s record in those three games: 3-0.
It started when the Fever were down 1-0 in their best-of-3 first-round series to the Atlanta Dream. She walked out on the court with the shoes, which exude toughness, and got a big reaction from teammates.
‘I fear you, you mean business,’ Fever All-Star center Aliyah Boston joked before Game 2. ‘Black Forces?! Them (refs) better watch out.’ Read full story here.
A’ja Wilson named 2025 WNBA MVP for record fourth time
A’ja Wilson was named the WNBA’s Most Valuable Player for the 2025 season. She is the first four-time MVP, besting three-time winners Sheryl Swoopes, Lisa Leslie and Lauren Jackson.
WNBA MVP voting results
A’ja Wilson received 51 of 72 first-place votes and 21 second-place votes (657 points) from a national panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. The Las Vegas Aces center won the award over finalists Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier (534), Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas (391), Atlanta Dream guard Allisha Gray (180) and Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell (93).
Las Vegas Aces forward A’ja Wilson stats
Wilson averaged a league-leading 23.4 points, 10.2 rebounds, 3.1 assists (ties her career-high), a league-leading 2.3 blocks and 1.6 steals in 40 games this season. Wilson averaged 29.3 points, 8.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists in the Aces’ first-round playoff series against the Seattle Storm, including a 38-point performance in Game 3, tying her playoff career high. However, she was held to 16 points in the Aces’ Game 1 loss to the Fever, shooting a dismal 27.2% from the field.
A’ja Wilson named Co-Defensive Player of the Year
For the third time in four seasons, Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson was named the WNBA Defensive Player of the Year. But this time there is a twist. Wilson will share the award with Minnesota Lynx forward Alanna Smith, the WNBA announced Thursday.
WNBA playoffs 2025: Aces vs. Fever scores, results and schedule
All times Eastern; *-if necessary
Fever lead series 1-0
- Game 1: Fever 89, Aces 73
- Game 2, Tuesday: Fever at Aces, 9:30 p.m. (ESPN)
- Game 3, Friday: Aces at Fever, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN2)
- Game 4, Sunday: Aces at Fever, 3 p.m. ET on Sunday (ABC)
- Game 5, Tuesday, Sept. 30: Fever at Aces, TBD*
Indiana Fever roster
Las Vegas Aces roster
2025 WNBA Finals schedule
*if necessary
WNBA champions by year
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