Aces throw first punch of series on defensive end, can close out Fever Tuesday

Las Vegas forward A'ja Wilson wraps up a postgame interview with Holly Rowe of ESPN. Photo Credit: Terrel Emerson/Talk that Talk

Las Vegas’ pursuit of back-to-back titles for a second time in the last five seasons is officially underway.

The defending champs opened the first round with a 102-85 Game 1 win over Indiana Sunday, Sept. 27 from Michelob Ultra Arena. The series serves as a semifinal rematch from last season which the Aces won in five games.

Additionally, the Fever took two of the three meetings during the regular season this year but the two clubs hadn’t played since early August.

“In the halfcourt, I thought our defense was pretty solid,” head coach Becky Hammon said. “You can’t take away everything, that’s a very talented team so I thought overall, really solid – especially in the second half, To hold that team to 38 points is a lot of hard work.”

With a 1-0 series lead, Las Vegas will get a chance to secure the sweep Tuesday, Sept. 29 from Conseco Fieldhouse when the series shifts back to Indiana. Tip-off is set for 3:30 p.m.

Aces forward Stephanie Talbot plays physical perimeter defense on Fever guard Caitlin Clark. Photo Credit: Terrel Emerson/Talk that Talk

“Series are a lot [more fun] to me than the regular season matchups because you can just lock in more,” Hammon said. “When you’re playing a game and then another game, it’s really more about your habits and your identity. Whereas in the playoffs, I feel like you can start to pick apart the other team’s identity a lot more thoroughly.”

The combination of guard Jackie Young and forward Stephanie Talbot taking on the defensive assignments of guards Kelsey Mitchell and Caitlin Clark may have changed the complexion of the game from the early outset. That tandem of Young and Talbot held Clark and Mitchell to 27 combined points on 10-of-33 from the field.

“I thought Steph played a really great game defensively,” Hammon said. “Our guards – just down the line. I still think there’s some things that we can clean up but I thought overall to hold that team in the 80s is a lot of hard work.”

Clark was forced into six of her team’s 16 turnovers. The Aces turned those 16 turnovers into 28 points in the other direction.

Indiana guard Caitlin Clark is picked up near halfcourt on defense by Las Vegas guard Jewell Loyd. Photo Credit: Terrel Emerson/Talk that Talk

“It was huge for us,” forward A’ja Wilson said. “This is probably the most important time where you need to throw the first punch on the defensive end. Offense is going to come and go, you’re going to have your moments and you may not. Defense has to be the most consistent thing that you play in a series and in every single game in the W.”

Clark along with center Aliyah Boston fouled out of the loss after scoring 18 points and eight rebounds. In total, Indiana was called for 25 fouls versus 18 for Las Vegas.

A flagrant-1 foul by Fever forward Sophie Cunningham in the first quarter allowed for the Aces to go on a run that allowed them to create some distance. Following that flagrant foul, the home team went on a 10-0 run.

Las Vegas pushed the lead to 15 points in the second quarter and took 65%, 54% and 88% shooting splits into halftime.

“I believe we got eight stops in a row,” guard Chelsea Gray said. “That’s a big thing, when we’re able to get stops defensively and we’re playing out in transition. There were so many times we got wide-open layups or wide-open threes because we’re getting stops.”

That lead grew to 27 points in the third quarter. The distance was so great that a 13-1 run by the visitors between the third and fourth quarter was not enough to make up ground.

Aces forward A'ja Wilson (#22) inches up on defense while Fever center Aliyah Boston has the ball while initiating a play. Photo Credit: Terrel Emerson/Talk that Talk

Wilson scored 13 points in that second quarter to take 22 points into the halftime break. She put the finishing touches on a double-double in the third quarter on her way to 38 points on 15-for-19 shooting to go along with 16 rebounds.

Wilson’s 38 points tied a playoff career-high for the first-ever four-time MVP in league history.

“Get out the way,” Gray said. “Give her the basketball.”

As she does oftentimes, Wilson also did it on the defensive end with four blocks and two steals. As a result, she closed her outing with a +29 plus/minus.

“Her and Jackie I thought really set a great tone for us,” Hammon said. “Steph has been great for us defensively the past couple of months. Everybody is talking about her post-FIBA but before that she was playing very solid basketball.”

Young and Gray accounted for 18 of the team’s 24 assists in the win. Young recorded a double-double with 21 points and 10 assists though she committed six turnovers in the winning effort. Gray added 14 points and eight assists of her own while also coughing the ball up five times.