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Fresh off a sweep and a week’s worth of rest, the Las Vegas Aces got back to their winning ways Sunday to open the team’s semifinals series against the Dallas Wings.
Las Vegas beat Dallas, 97-83, from the Michelob Ultra Arena in Game 1 of the WNBA Semifinals. Both teams swept their first round opponents to reach the next round.
“That third quarter, I’d love to bottle that one up,” head coach Becky Hammon said. “Defensively, especially just super active. They were good, I tell them when they stink and I tell them when they’re great and they were great.”
During the regular season, the Aces took three of the four meetings while the Wings handed the defending champs their second loss of the season.
Game 3 is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 26 at 7 p.m. from the Michelob Ultra Arena.
A herculean effort by two-time MVP A’ja Wilson propelled Las Vegas to the win and she got it going early. In the first quarter, she tallied 10 points on the way to 18 first half points on 8-of-10 shooting.
The real damage came in the third quarter as Wilson scored 10 of the team’s 12 points during a stretch that saw the team push its lead to 18. Eventually, the Aces would lead by 20 points.
As a team, Las Vegas won the third quarter, 26-12.
Wilson would finish with 34 points, eight rebounds, four blocks and two steals. Prior to the start of the game, she was honored as the league’s Defensive Player of the Year for the second straight season. While receiving the award, she insisted frontcourt teammate Kiah Stokes come receive the award with her.
“She’s a selfless superstar,” guard Kelsey Plum said. “We don’t appreciate a lot of times that quality that makes her so special, her selflessness. People don’t talk about her taking less money, people don’t talk about her taking defensive matchups. A lot of times when superstars play, they don’t have to play the other side of the ball.”
With the game well in hand, Wilson leaped over two rows of chairs while in hot pursuit of a loose ball in the fourth quarter. Stokes would have a similar moment as she saved a loose ball for an extra possession, resulting in a corner three by Plum.
“We have a lot of versatility throughout the lineup,” Hammon said. “Both offensively and defensively. I thought Kiah in the second half was just exceptional defensively, rebounding – she’s a huge, huge piece for us.”
Plum scored her first points in the second quarter and swiftly proceeded to torch Dallas for 10 of the last 12 Las Vegas points of the first half. She also assisted on the team’s other made field goal of that run.
“In the playoffs, I’ve learned that you have to have a short memory,” she said. “Good or bad, it’s just about the next play. We haven’t played live in a week.”
Plum closed the night with 25 points on 8-of-15 from the floor while hitting 50% from deep on 10 attempts.
Fellow guard Jackie Young poured in 19 points with five made threes of her own to go along with a game-high 10 rebounds and seven assists, which tied for game-high.
Aces’ third starting guard, Chelsea Gray, added 13 points, four rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks.
“Becky always says, ‘Get the ball moving,’” Wilson said. “That’s when we’re at our best, especially when we play out of our defense. That is where we are truly the Aces.”
Wings’ star Arike Ogunbowale was held scoreless until the second quarter before rattling off five straight points early in the frame.
Ogunbowale and teammate Satou Sabally combined to score 28 points on 9-for-28 shooting.
“It was huge,” Hammon said. “It was something we really emphasized coming in. Shots are going to go in, not go in – nobody’s out there trying to miss and sometimes you can’t help that. But you can always be on defensively.”
As a team, Las Vegas compiled nine steals and seven blocks on the night including several strip steals of Dallas post players on dribble attempts.
“Our bigs have active hands, they’re big, they’re long,” Hammon said. “Lanky and they’re fast. As guards, you should feel pretty comfortable getting up, pressuring the ball when you have these guys behind you roaming the paint.”
Even with that, the Wings committed less turnovers (12) than the winning Aces (16).