The Sportsnista | Las Vegas
When the Las Vegas Aces’ season came down to one game, Becky Hammon knew exactly who she wanted carrying it.
Her champions.
A’ja Wilson poured in 36 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, Chelsea Gray scored 23 and Jackie Young added 18 points, eight rebounds and seven assists as the Aces defeated the Indiana Fever 94-83 Thursday night at Michelob ULTRA Arena in the deciding Game 3 of their first-round WNBA playoff series.
Together, Wilson, Gray and Young accounted for 77 of Las Vegas’ 94 points.
WNBA Championship Pedigree
That was no accident.
When Vegas Sports Today asked head coach Becky Hammon during the postgame press conference how much she needed from her veterans in a win-or-go-home game, her answer came without hesitation.
“Yes,” Hammon said. “I needed them to go be the big three that I’ve always known them to be, and they deliver in big moments.”
Hammon needed even more from them after learning shortly before the game that Stephanie Talbot would be unavailable with a leg injury. That shortened the rotation and put an even greater burden on the veterans.
Her message was direct.
“Be ready to run 40,” Hammon said. “You’re not coming out until you tell me you need one.”
Gray and Young did exactly that, playing all 40 minutes.
Aces Veteran Leadership
Then her stars went to work.
Las Vegas began creating separation late in the second quarter, then pushed its advantage to 12 in the third. But Indiana refused to go quietly. The Fever twice pulled within two points in the fourth quarter, including 82-80 with three minutes remaining.
That was when Las Vegas’ veterans slammed the door.
The Aces closed the game on a 12-3 run, with Gray delivering the kind of late-game shotmaking that has defined her postseason career.
“I thought Chelsea had some super clutch buckets tonight,” Hammon said, while also praising Young’s reads throughout the game.
A’ja Wilson Overcomes Adversity
Wilson faced a different challenge.
The four-time MVP entered the fourth quarter carrying five fouls, meaning one whistle could remove the Aces’ leading scorer from the most important minutes of their season.
Wilson had already scored 21 points by halftime. Now she had to remain aggressive while navigating the razor-thin space between playing her game and picking up No. 6.
She never did.
Wilson finished 11-of-18 from the floor with two blocks, completing another monster postseason performance after opening the series with 38 points and 16 rebounds. Her 36-point night was also the 12th 30-point playoff game of her career, setting a WNBA record.
It was the kind of composure Hammon expects from players who have lived through these moments before.
“They’re champions, and that’s a spirit that they carry with them,” Hammon said.
The Aces coach emphasized that it took more than three players to survive Indiana, crediting the contributions throughout her rotation. Jewell Loyd stepped into the starting lineup for Talbot and scored 11 points.
But when Las Vegas needed someone to take responsibility for its season, Hammon knew where she wanted to place it.
“If I’m looking across a line, I want to pick those three every time to be leading the charge,” Hammon said. “They’re called the big three for a reason, and I had to ride them tonight.”
On Thursday night, they carried the Aces into the semifinals.
The team was propelled by the big three. In the end, it was the monster game by the league’s three-time MVP, A’ja Wilson, who sank her last two free throws to finish the game.
That may be the lasting image of Game 3: Wilson still standing when the horn sounded, after spending the fourth quarter one whistle away from having to watch the ending from the bench.
Aces Next Challenge
Las Vegas will face the winner of Friday night’s deciding Game 3 between the Golden State Valkyries and Dallas Wings in San Francisco. The best-of-five WNBA semifinal series begins Sunday, with the Aces continuing their pursuit of another championship.
