The Las Vegas Aces are headed back to the WNBA Finals for the third time in four years after a 107-98 overtime victory against the Indiana Fever in Game 5 of the semifinals.
The Aces held a nine-point lead but the Fever rallied, outscoring them 23-15 in the fourth quarter to tie the game and force overtime. Indiana played without star guard Kelsey Mitchell, who left in the third quarter with severe cramps, and without Aliyah Boston, who fouled out before the extra period.
A’ja Wilson put up another historic performance with 35 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals, and 4 blocks, becoming the first player in WNBA history to record consecutive playoff games with 25+ points, 3+ blocks, and 3+ steals. She tied Breanna Stewart and Diana Taurasi for most 30-point playoff games with eight.
Jackie Young added 30 points, making history with Wilson as the first pair of teammates to score 30+ in the same WNBA playoff game. Chelsea Gray took over in overtime with 8 of her 17 points, including back-to-back three-pointers.
Fever guard Odyssey Sims led Indiana with 27 points, while Boston finished with 11 points and 16 rebounds before fouling out.
Wilson summed up the team’s mindset: “It’s not just one person, it’s not just five people, it’s everybody. Everybody you see contributed to this game… that’s the same of a championship team. We’ve worked so hard to get to this point. People counted all of us out, but we’re making it to the Finals right now. We’re not done.”