A'ja Wilson opened the WNBA playoffs with a performance that left little doubt about who controlled Game 1.
Wilson scored 38 points, grabbed 16 rebounds and blocked four shots Sunday as the Las Vegas Aces beat the Indiana Fever 102-85 at Michelob ULTRA Arena. The win gave Las Vegas a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three first-round series and put the Aces one victory from the semifinals.
The numbers were dominant even by Wilson's standards. She made 15 of 19 shots, hit both of her 3-point attempts and went 6 of 7 at the free-throw line. She also had two steals and finished plus-29 in 35 minutes, according to the official WNBA box score.
Wilson took over before halftime
Indiana stayed within reach early, but Las Vegas created separation before the break. Wilson scored 22 first-half points on 9-of-11 shooting while adding six rebounds and three blocks.
The Aces carried a 62-47 lead into halftime, one point shy of the franchise playoff record for points in a half. Las Vegas never gave Indiana a sustained chance to erase the gap after that.
Wilson's 38 points matched her career postseason high. Her 16 rebounds also matched a playoff career high, turning Game 1 into a reminder that her impact goes far beyond scoring.
The Aces' offense was bigger than one star
Wilson was the headliner, but Las Vegas kept pressure on Indiana with several other creators.
Jackie Young finished with 21 points and 10 assists. Chelsea Gray added 14 points, five rebounds and eight assists, while Jewell Loyd scored 10 points off the bench. The Aces totaled 24 assists and shot 59.4% from the field.
That efficiency mattered because Indiana did not have a terrible shooting night. The Fever shot 44.8% overall and made 12 3-pointers. Las Vegas simply operated at another level, especially when Wilson was touching the ball in the paint or forcing the defense to collapse.
The CBS Sports game recap and box score shows Las Vegas finishing 38 of 64 from the field and 9 of 19 from 3-point range.
Indiana's top scorers could not keep pace
Aliyah Boston led Indiana with 18 points and eight rebounds. Caitlin Clark finished with 15 points and 10 assists, but she also committed six turnovers. Kelsey Mitchell scored 12 points on 4-of-16 shooting.
The Fever were still within striking distance during stretches of the first half, but the Aces made it difficult for Indiana to string together stops. Las Vegas also won the rebounding battle 39-28 and blocked six shots while Indiana did not record a block.
Those extra possessions and defensive stops helped turn a competitive opening stretch into a comfortable Las Vegas lead.
Another major Wilson honor came hours earlier
Wilson's playoff opener came the same day she was named the Associated Press WNBA Player of the Year for a third straight season. The timing made the night feel even more like a statement.
The third-seeded Aces entered the postseason as defending champions and as a team that has won three of the past four WNBA titles. Wilson's performance showed why Las Vegas remains one of the hardest teams in the league to eliminate when the playoffs begin.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported that the Aces are now one victory from the semifinals after controlling Game 1 at home.
Game 2 puts Indiana in elimination mode
The series now shifts to Indiana for Game 2 on Tuesday night. A Las Vegas win ends the series and sends the Aces to the semifinals. An Indiana win would force a deciding Game 3 back in Las Vegas.
That makes the next matchup simple. Indiana has to find a way to slow Wilson without giving Young, Gray and the rest of the Aces clean looks. Las Vegas has to avoid treating a 17-point Game 1 win like a finished series.
For one night, though, the Aces looked exactly like a championship team should. Wilson controlled both ends, the guards created shots, and Las Vegas turned its playoff opener into a statement win.
