The Las Vegas Aces are chasing dynasty standing. The Indiana Fever are chasing perception turned actuality. When the 2 groups meet within the 2025 WNBA semifinals starting Sunday at Michelob ULTRA Area, it’s going to mark a collision between the league’s most achieved program of the previous decade and one in every of its most resilient underdogs.
Sport 1 ideas off at 12 p.m. PT and can air nationally on ABC.
Aces Examined, however Wilson Regular
The Aces entered the playoffs driving a 16-game successful streak, however their first-round collection in opposition to the Seattle Storm confirmed vulnerabilities. After controlling Sport 1, Las Vegas stumbled in Sport 2 on the street, surrendering a late lead and failing to match Seattle’s bodily edge. Head coach Becky Hammon admitted her workforce had been outworked.
“They’re enjoying for his or her lives. They higher be bodily,” Hammon stated. “We didn’t match the physicality within the first half. … You bought a eight, 9 level lead going within the fourth quarter. You bought to guard that.”
https://t.co/xcn1qCBLM8 pic.twitter.com/5gwrHQhRsj
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) September 19, 2025
The Storm additionally discovered success from past the arc, making 10 3-pointers, and Hammon was blunt about her workforce’s defensive breakdowns.
“We guarded poorly on the three-point line. Our fingers had been down. We weren’t disrupted. We weren’t even guarding. … No, it’s trash, rubbish,” she stated.
Jackie Younger, Chelsey Grey: Gamers to Watch
Regardless of these struggles, Las Vegas superior behind A’ja Wilson’s brilliance. The MVP finalist averaged 29.3 factors on 55.4 % taking pictures throughout three video games, together with 8.7 rebounds, 2.3 steals and a couple of.0 blocks. Her 38-point efficiency in a 74–73 Sport 3 victory was the distinction between transferring on and being despatched house early.
“No pun supposed however we weathered the Storm,” Wilson stated. “They punched us and we punched again and we stored punching. … The job just isn’t accomplished. That is the primary spherical, we gotta prepare for the following one.”
good morning jackie younger saved my broke ass life pic.twitter.com/MPr4aUczMk
— mrs o’nomatopoeia (@nasgioia) September 19, 2025
Jackie Younger additionally elevated her sport, scoring 19.0 factors per contest on 52.6 % taking pictures. Her third-quarter surge in Sport 2 gave the Aces an opportunity, and Hammon famous that her power is important to the workforce’s success.
“We’re not going anyplace with out her, so we obtained to get her going,” Hammon stated.
Chelsea Grey, in the meantime, supplied stability on the level guard spot. She averaged 7.7 assists within the collection, up from her 5.4 common in the course of the common season, as she orchestrated the offense and helped regular the Aces when possessions stalled.
Fever’s Breakthrough Run
Indiana reached the semifinals for the primary time in 10 years by upsetting the third-seeded Atlanta Dream. The Fever closed out the collection with an 87–85 victory on the street, rallying late behind Kelsey Mitchell and Aliyah Boston.
Mitchell, a finalist for the league’s MVP award, averaged 23.3 factors within the quarterfinals, carrying the scoring load because the Fever overcame the absence of a number of injured contributors.
Boston averaged 12.3 factors, 9.7 rebounds, and 4.3 assists within the collection. In Sport 3, she delivered a decisive double-double and scored the successful basket to seal Indiana’s development.
Veteran guard Odyssey Sims, who joined the workforce late within the season, stated the short connection throughout the locker room has been important to the Fever’s surge.
Sport 3, the film 🎥🍿
in an epic comeback, Kelsey Mitchell dropped a game-high 24 factors, Aliyah Boston recorded a dominant double-double & scored the go-ahead bucket late within the fourth & the bench introduced the power to guide us to an 87-85 victory over the Dream. pic.twitter.com/qrCjSH9lfr
— Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever) September 20, 2025
“All people’s real. I obtained welcomed with open arms from day one,” Sims stated. “And we’re within the semifinals—it feels wonderful. However we’re simply getting began. Each sport, each possession issues greater than ever.”
Lexie Hull pointed to the workforce’s resilience, noting {that a} comeback in opposition to Connecticut earlier this yr satisfied them they might compete with anybody.
“Individuals assume we aren’t going to win, however the sport’s by no means over till the ultimate buzzer,” Hull stated.
Head coach Stephanie White stated this playoff run displays the workforce’s development and willpower by adversity.
“You would see how particular this group was, how a lot they fought for each other, refused to provide in,” White stated. “So many nice life classes with this group; it was a turning level.”
Common-Season Classes
Indiana received the regular-season collection 2–1, claiming each video games in Indianapolis. Las Vegas earned an 89–81 victory at house on June 22, however the Fever responded with an 81–54 blowout on July 3 and an 80–70 win on July 24.
The Fever dominated the glass throughout these conferences, averaging 43.7 rebounds to the Aces’ 31.3. Las Vegas, one of many league’s most effective offensive groups, managed solely 71.0 factors per sport on 37.7 % taking pictures within the three contests, far beneath its season averages of 83.6 factors and 43.9 % taking pictures.
Wilson nonetheless averaged 24.3 factors within the collection, however Indiana dictated tempo and compelled the Aces into stagnant possessions. Mitchell and Boston powered the Fever on offense, whereas the protection managed the paint.
Milestones in Focus
The semifinals additionally present a stage for historical past. Wilson is 17 factors away from passing Lindsay Whalen for seventh on the WNBA’s all-time playoff scoring checklist. She additionally wants only one extra block to change into the seventh participant in league historical past to succeed in 100 in postseason play, whereas closing in on Angel McCoughtry in free throws, Rebekkah Brunson in defensive rebounds, and Seimone Augustus in discipline objectives made.
Grey is inside attain of a milestone of her personal. With 13 extra factors, she’s going to change into solely the second participant, alongside Whalen, to report no less than 800 playoff factors and 300 assists.
Younger is poised to maneuver up the report books as properly, coming into the collection tied with Candace Parker on the all-time playoff three-pointers checklist. Another make will put her forward. Hammon, in the meantime, is one victory away from tying Dan Hughes for eighth in profession postseason teaching wins.
Contrasting Types
Las Vegas leans on offensive effectivity and star energy, elevating its taking pictures proportion to almost 48.9% within the first spherical whereas averaging 86.3 factors per sport. Indiana thrives on toughness and protection, holding Atlanta to 75.0 factors per sport on 42.4% taking pictures and simply 28.1% from 3-point vary within the quarterfinals.
Mitchell stated the Fever’s greatest likelihood comes from their capacity to set the tone defensively.
“On the level of assault defensively, you bought to be there,” Mitchell stated. “Clearly you’re coping with the most effective gamers on this planet, so … if we wait, they’ll make us pay each time.”
For the Aces, the main target will likely be on sustaining tempo, defending the glass, and giving Wilson sufficient help to maintain the offense flowing. For the Fever, limiting Wilson’s effectivity and successful the rebounding battle may present the equalizer.
Becky Hammon speaking concerning the Fever-Aces matchup in semis:
“They haven’t seen the true Aces but. They caught us once we had been in a turmoil. We’ll buckle in, hone in the place we are able to and care for enterprise” pic.twitter.com/bSogghgx1K
— Ashwin (@Sudharsan_ak) September 19, 2025
Stakes Forward
The winner of this collection will face both the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx or the Phoenix Mercury within the WNBA Finals. Minnesota swept Golden State within the first spherical, whereas Phoenix knocked out the defending champion New York Liberty in three video games.
For Las Vegas, the duty is evident: proceed the march towards a 3rd championship in 4 years and reinforce its declare because the WNBA’s trendy dynasty.
For Indiana, the semifinal berth is each validation and alternative. Regardless of dropping Caitlin Clark and a number of other different gamers to season-ending accidents, the Fever have discovered a technique to advance, led by Mitchell’s scoring, Boston’s poise, and the contributions of veterans like Sims.
Wilson stated the Aces will maintain the main target inward because the stage grows bigger.
“Identical mindset,” she stated. “It’s actually by no means concerning the different workforce; it’s all the time going to be about us. We gotta play Aces basketball, and we’ll see what the sport provides us.”
Sport 2 is scheduled for Tuesday in Las Vegas earlier than the collection shifts to Indiana for Sport 3.
