The Las Vegas Aces secured their spot in the WNBA Finals by defeating the Indiana Fever, setting up a championship clash with the Phoenix Mercury.
As the second seed, the Las Vegas Aces triumphed in a thrilling Game 5 of the semifinals, edging out the sixth-seeded Indiana Fever 107-98 in overtime. This victory eliminates the Fever from the playoffs and marks the Aces’ third Finals appearance in four seasons.
Despite missing All-Star Kelsey Mitchell, who exited in the third quarter due to intense leg cramps, the Fever rallied impressively. They outscored the Aces 23-15 in the final quarter to level the score and push the contest into overtime, overcoming a deficit that was as large as nine points during regulation.
Aces Overcome Fever in Overtime Thriller
Aliyah Boston, who fouled out late in the fourth quarter, was also unable to participate in the overtime period for Indiana. The Fever’s resilience was notable, but the Aces ultimately prevailed.
During regulation, A’ja Wilson and Jackie Young led the charge for the Aces, but it was Chelsea Gray who dominated overtime, contributing eight of her 17 points, including back-to-back three-pointers that helped seal the win.
Don’t miss today’s expert predictions from Bet of the Day (Check Out)
Wilson made history by becoming the first player in WNBA history to record 25+ points, along with at least three blocks and three steals, in consecutive games across regular season and playoffs. She finished with an impressive stat line of 35 points, seven rebounds, five assists, four steals, and four blocks.
With this performance, Wilson matched Breanna Stewart and Diana Taurasi for the record of most 30-point playoff games, achieving her ninth such outing.
Jackie Young also shone brightly, scoring 30 points alongside Wilson’s 35, making them the first pair of teammates in WNBA postseason history to each score 30 or more points in the same game.
For the Fever, guard Odyssey Sims led the scoring with 27 points, while Aliyah Boston contributed 11 points and grabbed 16 rebounds before fouling out in the fourth quarter.