A’ja Wilson begins playoffs in dominant fashion as Aces take Game One
Derek Hegna
Host · Writer
LAS VEGAS—The Las Vegas Aces know that they never have to worry about A’ja Wilson doing her damage on any given night.
However, what Wilson did to start the 2026 playoffs was nothing short of sheer destruction.
On Sunday, Wilson and the Aces got this postseason started with nothing short of a dominant display, tearing through the Indiana Fever 102-85 to take a 1-0 lead in their first round series.
The fans in attendance made it clear that they want Wilson to claim her fifth MVP award, and a performance like this one does little to change anyone’s mind.
Wilson was on a completely different level than her competition on the afternoon, scoring a game-high 38 points and 16 rebounds. The point total put her just four off from the all-time scoring record of 42 in a single playoff game, held by contemporaries such as Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart. The four-time MVP also added four blocks, two steals and two assists.
“The demands we put on her throughout the regular season is high. She understands the stakes always,” said Aces head coach Becky Hammon on Wilson.
“She was a clinic tonight. She was just all over the court everywhere. Defensive end, offensive end, blocks, steals, boards, scoring. There was nothing she didn’t do tonight.”
While no one was dimming the star of Wilson on this day, Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray also stepped up to prove their importance to this championship-winning core.
Young would also record a double-double with 21 points and 10 assists, while Gray added 14 points and eight assists in her own right. The 18 combined assists between the Aces backcourt were just two behind the Fever’s output as a team.
“I think there’s a commitment there to want to play and be great,” said Gray about the togetherness of the Aces’ current core.
“We try to pull the best out of each other and that’s something that takes time. It takes trust. When we’re getting on each other, we know it comes from a good place and that just doesn’t happen overnight.”
The role players for the Aces also did their part, with Jewell Loyd picking up 10 points, Stephanie Talbot adding eight and Cheyenne Parker-Tyus logging more time at the five (15:12 compared to Brianna Turner’s 8:17) and putting up seven more points.
“It’s kind of these role players that step up,” said Hammon. “I thought Jewell came in and hit some timely threes for us. Cheyenne, just everybody coming in and just chipping away at it and we do it together.”
Even more impressive than the offensive output for the Aces was how well they defended, particularly against some of the Fever’s top players.
Kelsey Mitchell, the second-best scorer in the WNBA this season behind Wilson, was held in check throughout the game, shooting only 4-for-16 and putting up only 12 points. Caitlin Clark would get a double-double (15 points and 10 assists), but would do so in relatively inefficient fashion on 6-for-17 shooting and with six turnovers.
“You have to do it by committee,” said Hammon on her team frustrating the Indiana backcourt.
“They have obviously really talented guards. Just trying to work and make their looks as difficult as possible. You’re not going to take everything, but we just want to make it somewhat contested.”
The turnovers, in particular, was something that added up quickly in favor of the Aces, picking up 28 points off of 17 Fever turnovers to help them secure easy buckets.
“At the top. Number one. I think that elite defense is above offense, honestly,” admitted Gray when asked about the priority of defense for the Aces.
On the back of such a dominant performance, the Aces will now get the opportunity to eliminate a team that has posed problems during the regular season on Tuesday when the series heads to Indiana for Game Two.
