LAS VEGAS (AP) — A’ja Wilson bounced back from a rare off game with 25 points and nine rebounds, and the Las Vegas Aces evened their WNBA semifinals playoff series with a convincing 90-68 Game 2 victory over the Indiana Fever on Tuesday night.
The best-of-five series heads to Indianapolis, where Game 3 will be played Friday night.
Wilson made 10 of 18 shots to go with playoff career-high five steals, two nights after the four-time MVP made just 6 of 22 field goals. Her performance helped the Aces come back strong after losing the series opener 89-73.
She said her team didn’t overreact to that defeat, referencing the 111-58 loss to Minnesota on Aug. 2 that kick-started a 16-game winning streak to end the regular season.
“I think Game 2, we just decided to come to work,” Wilson said. “When we do that and we play the right way, good things happen. I don’t necessarily think (Game 1) was a wake-up call. I told my team I was embarrassed less than the 53-point loss. No one panicked.”
Former Indiana player NaLyssa Smith added 18 points on 7-of-9 shooting and Jackie Young scored 13, and Jewell Loyd and Dana Evans each had 10 points. Chelsea Gray finished with 10 assists as the Aces shot 53.8%.
Odyssey Sims led the Fever with 18 points and Lexie Hull, who was questionable with a back injury and wore a brace while on the bench, scored 15. Kelsey Mitchell had 13 points and Aliyah Boston 10.
Mitchell scored 34 points in Game 1, but she was held to 4-of-14 shooting on Tuesday.
“They reality is they came in and they were physical and they dictated,” Fever coach Stephanie White said. “We were on our heels and we were passive and we were reactive to everything. Twenty-eight points off of turnovers, 14 points off of offensive rebounds. They’re too good. We can’t spot them 42.
“They’ve been world champions for a reason. They have a mentality they know exactly how to compete at this stage and this level. We’ve got to be able to respond, and we’ve got to be able to rise to that challenge.”
The second-seeded Aces came into the playoffs rolling, but barely got by Seattle in the opening round and then were blown out at home to open this series. This game, in which the Aces led by as many as 26 points, more closely resembled the WNBA’s hottest team at the end of the regular season.
Even when the Fever made an occasional run, the Aces quickly responded by expanding the lead.
“When the pressure starts to escalate, I know they know how to cook under pressure,” Las Vegas coach Becky Hammon said. “So I just trust them. I’m fiery over there. I’m Italian, I can’t help it, but they’re cool under pressure.”
The short-handed Fever have proven to be a tough out. Sixth-seeded Indiana upset No. 3 Atlanta in the quarterfinals, and now head home with the chance to close out this series. That despite entering Game 2 with six players out with injuries, including superstar Caitlin Clark, and another in Hull at clearly less than full health.
“I’m feeling sore still,” Hull said. “Part of the playoffs, I think, for everyone. End of the season, everyone’s a little fatigued, everyone’s a little sore.”
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