Fourth quarter push, final defensive stance secures Game 1 win for Aces

Las Vegas guard Dana Evans goes up for a layup against Phoenix during Game 1 of the WNBA Finals. Photo Credit: Las Vegas Aces

After going the distance in each of their first two playoff series, the Las Vegas Aces have won Game 1 for a second time in three chances.

Las Vegas needed a late push in its, 89-86, win over Phoenix in Game 1 of a Best-of-7 series. It’s the fourth win for the Aces in five meetings against the Mercury this season.

“I think it was just multiple times and situations where we understood our defense has to win the basketball game,” forward A’ja Wilson said. “We can’t go basket for basket with this team. They’re too good.”

With hopes of taking a 2-0 lead in the series, Las Vegas will host Game 2 Sunday, Oct. 5 from Michelob Ultra Arena. Tip is set for 12 p.m.

“I predict our defense will be better,” head coach Becky Hammon said. “Yes, that’s my prediction.”

Reserve guard Dana Evans came up clutch time and time again in the fourth quarter including several big-time three-pointers. She drilled a three to cut the one time eight-point deficit to a point before knocking down two more to put her team ahead by a point and by three points.

“We have something I took from the [San Antonio] Spurs called the ‘Spurs 100,’” Hammon said. “Dana scored higher than I’ve ever seen anybody score in a very tough shooting drill.”

Aces guard Dana Evans looks to set up the offense inside the Michelob Ultra Arena. Photo Credit: Las Vegas Aces

Evans finished with 21 points on 8-of-13 from the field including five made threes to go along with three assists and four steals. In doing so, she became the first player in WNBA Finals history with five made threes and four steals.

“They were scoring too much against our man [defense],” Hammon said. “So we just wanted to mix it up. Them getting the ball in the paint whether it was off the pass or penetration was really hurting us.”

That effort was part of a 41-point night by the Aces bench which included 18 points from reserve guard Jewell Loyd, who entered the game for the first time less than two and a half minutes into the contest after early foul trouble to teammate NaLyssa Smith.

Loyd hit early back-to-back buckets in the first quarter on her way to eight quick points. She hauled in a huge offensive rebound for her club with about 65 seconds left in regulation.

Las Vegas forward A'ja Wilson meets Phoenix forward Alyssa Thomas up high for a block. Photo Credit: Las Vegas Aces

“Well, you’ve got options,” Hammon said. “You know what Jewell has been in this league a long time but Dana is a little sword. She is a problem and you saw that in the previous series, Indiana switched several defenses whenever she came in the game. They jumped into their zone to try and keep her out of that paint.”

Las Vegas starters A’ja Wilson and Jackie Young added 21 points and 18 points respectively in the win. According to Hammon, both players were still feeling the effects of the winner-take-all Game 5 against Indiana this past Tuesday.

“I think she’s going to be okay,” Hammon said. “She did twist it a little bit worse than I thought but I mean, she’s a warrior. If she’s getting up off that court, she’s going to come back.”

Wilson added 10 rebounds to finish with a double-double on the night while Young nailed two clutch free throws to push the lead to three. On the other hand, perennial MVP candidate Alyssa Thomas clanked two free throws of her own just before the game-deciding makes from Young.

The entire Aces team was bolstered by 10 assists from guard Chelsea Gray, who finished with a game-high +10 plus/minus.

“I had told both Jackie and Chelsea to get [Evans and Loyd] going early,” Hammon said. “Jewell came out in the first half [and] gave us a really good punch. And then, Dana really took fire in the second half but we have weapons [and] we want to use them because we’re harder to guard that way.”