Aces overpower Fever in Game 2 to even playoff series
Las Vegas responded with physicality and 28 points off turnovers to hand Indiana a 90–68 loss as the series shifts to Indy. Kelsey Mitchell was kept to 13 points, Lexie Hull delivered with a bad back.
LAS VEGAS — After a thorough Game 1 win — taking all four quarters and almost every statistical category — the Indiana Fever knew the Las Vegas Aces would come into Game 2 swinging. Fittingly, the scene was Las Vegas, home to countless prizefights.
“We expect them to come out and to really be aggressive and to throw the first punch,” head coach Stephanie White said an hour before tipoff. “But we have been very good about not looking behind us, anything that’s already happened, and not looking too far in front of us. And just being where our feet are, staying in the moment. And we have to do that tonight.”
And after the game?
“We didn’t throw any (punches),” she said. “I mean, the reality is they came in and they were physical and they dictated and we were on our heels and we were passive and we were reactive to everything. 28 points off of turnovers, 14 points off of offensive rebounds. They’re too good, we can’t spot them 42.
“We’ve gotta be able to handle that. I mean, they’ve been world champions for a reason. They have a mentality that they know exactly how to compete at this stage and at this level. And we’ve gotta be able to respond and we’ve gotta be able to rise to that challenge.”
Just as Indiana had dominated Game 1, the Aces responded with a 90–68 rout in Game 2. That evened the best-of-five series at one game apiece as the series shifts to Indianapolis for Games 3 and 4 on Friday and Sunday.
The Aces won all four quarters, forced 22 Fever turnovers and turned them into 28 points, and shot nearly 54% from the field. They repeatedly found easy looks under the basket and got 25 points from MVP A’ja Wilson.
Even in their 16-point win in Game 1, White had pointed out lapses on defense and in screen coverages, along with too many 50/50 balls lost. Those themes returned in Tuesday’s rematch.
The Fever opened well, briefly leading 9–8. But six turnovers in the first quarter proved costly. After Becky Hammon successfully challenged an out-of-bounds call, the Aces used a 14–4 run to seize control and led 26–17 after one. That was notable, since Indiana had led after the first quarter in all four of its postseason games.