LAS VEGAS — Kelsey Mitchell scored a playoff-career-high 34 points and the Indiana Fever beat the Las Vegas Aces 89-73 on Sunday to take a 1-0 lead in their best-of-five WNBA semifinal series.
Indiana shot 50% (34 of 68) and blew the game open with an 11–0 run to close the third quarter after Las Vegas had trimmed a double-digit deficit to three. The Aces finished 29 of 71 (40.8%) from the floor.
VIDEO: Taylor Rocha reports the latest on the Las Vegas Aces
The result muted, but couldn’t erase, a historic pregame moment for Las Vegas. A’ja Wilson was celebrated as the first four-time MVP in WNBA history after being surprised Friday by commissioner Cathy Engelbert, with family and friends on hand. “It has my name on it, but it’s all of us,” Wilson said before tipoff. “There is no MVP without every single one of my teammates.”
Wilson posted 16 points and 13 rebounds but shot 6 of 22. Jackie Young led the Aces with 19 points; Dana Evans added 14 off the bench, and Chelsea Gray had 13. Odyssey Sims scored 17 for Indiana, and Natasha Howard added 12 points and 11 rebounds.
Wilson described balancing celebration and competition: “I had this moment on Friday, so I got those emotions out of the way. Today it’s business as usual… my main goal is to get a win against a really good Indiana Fever team.”
Aces coach Becky Hammon praised Wilson’s season-long steadiness amid adversity. “She has led tremendously through some really rough waters,” Hammon said. “I’m always going to ride for my players… we just have to keep showing up for each other.”
Game 2 is Tuesday in Las Vegas at 6:30 p.m.
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Las Vegas came out more aggressively in the second half. The Aces scored the first six points from the foul line and added a Wilson bucket to close within 13 points at 49-36.
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