Lead and energy gone in 50 seconds: Aces flip momentum, seize control of series in Indy
A late third-quarter collapse and a cold shooting drought in the fourth doomed the Fever, who now trail Las Vegas 2-1 and face elimination on Sunday.
All season, closing quarters has been a problem for the Indiana Fever. Big momentum swings have cost them, sometimes too much to overcome.
On Friday night, it happened again.
The Fever led 56-53 with 74 seconds left in the third quarter — then gave up six straight points. A jumper, a running pull-up, and finally a layup.
The last basket stung the most. With just 1.8 seconds on the clock, after Aliyah Boston was whistled for a three-second violation, the Aces inbounded near the Fever bench. Chelsea Gray darted a perfect pass downcourt to Jackie Young for a layup just before the period expired.
In an instant, the building’s energy — and the Fever’s momentum — evaporated.
“That was definitely a moment there where this place was rocking and all the momentum was building up,” said Aces head coach Becky Hammon. “Giving up the layup in the last three seconds, I mean, that’s probably gonna haunt Steph (White) because it was more than that.
“It was just the momentum, took the air out of the building. So we know we need to make those plays. I know very full well Chelsea Gray capable of making any of those plays down the stretch and just kind of breaking your spirit a little bit.”
The Fever entered the fourth trailing 59-56 — and didn’t hit a field goal until 2:25 remained. By then, Las Vegas had built a 12-point cushion, its largest of the night, on the way to an 84-72 win in Game 3 of the WNBA semifinals.
The Aces now lead the best-of-five series 2-1, with Game 4 set for Sunday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
“I thought we had a lot of good opportunities,” White said afterward. “I felt like we had more open shots in this ball game than we did in the last one. I felt like our ball movement was better. Our ability to attack and make reads was better. We got to the free throw line. It was really good. They just didn’t go in.”
Back in Indianapolis after splitting two games in Las Vegas, the Fever hoped to ride the energy of a sellout crowd of more than 16,000 — a “Red Out” night with rally towels and the team in its “Stranger Things”-inspired black uniforms.
But that wasn’t good enough for Indiana. Not when they had 11 offensive rebounds, but were still outscored by the Aces in second-chance points. Not when they failed to score any points in transition, where they drive. And certainly not good enough when MVP A’ja Wilson made the first shot of the game, a 3-pointer, then missed 10 in a row. She only had three points at the break.
“A’ja’s gonna find hers,” White said. “There’s no doubt about it. They have five Olympians on their team so you got to play them all honest. At the end of the day, I felt like tonight was a lot more about our shot making.”
The Aces tweaked their defense after a Game 1 loss and have done a much better job of keeping the Fever outside the paint. They won the inside battle 48-34 even if they conceded more offensive rebounds.
“They’re not guarding two people on the floor so we can run free,” said White. “I felt like we didn’t have a sense of urgency once we got it.”
At one point, the Fever had more offensive rebounds than the Aces had defensive rebounds. However, White didn’t think they were quick enough in their decisions once they earned the extra possession. Instead of going right back up with it, they hesitated — and missed brief windows before the defense collapsed.
“I didn’t feel like we had as much aggressiveness or sense of urgency once we got the extra possession,” she added. “So that was definitely a missed opportunity.”
Fever guard Lexie Hull was flying all over the place, snagging eight offensive rebounds to finish with 16 points and 10 rebounds — her first career playoff double-double. And she was doing it with a hurting lower back.
Hull drew two offensive fouls, dove for several loose balls, and kept possessions alive. “Just trying to defend as hard as I can,” she said. “And there’s only certain screens you’re allowed to set.”
Meanwhile, Kelsey Mitchell had an off night shooting the ball, just 21 points on 8-of-16 shooting — including 3 for 11 from deep. She’s the Aces’ number one (and perhaps two and three) focus on the defensive end. We all see how the Fever are on their last leg, severely shorthanded due to injury.
“Just a bad day,” Mitchell said. “It’s all about making the right read against this defense. I definitely want to remain aggressive. Unfortunately, it didn’t really fall my way shot wise, but the goal is to always get there and create for others.”
The Fever attempted eight more shots, four more free throws (missing eight), and made three more 3s — but the efficiency and balanced attack was not there.
They needed more from others outside of Mitchell and Hull.
Boston helped contain Wilson to three points in the first half and 13 for the game. The Aces, however, pivoted, and leaned more heavily on former Fever forward NaLyssa Smith. She picked up the slack and finished with 16 points and four blocks.
“Once we figured out they were roaming off Lyss a little bit more,” Hammon said, “so even though A wasn’t getting her usual looks, that’s why Lyss was eating good in the neighborhood. Because she was diving in behind and we were getting some layups off of it. That’s why you like to play with good players, it’s because their presence opens up everybody else. Just her presence, her rolling and her screening, helps everybody else.”
“She’s been physical,” White said of Smith. “She’s done a good job of really imposing her will of being physical in her matchup, attacking the paint, and being aggressive.”
Which led White to tweak her rotation. Starter Natasha Howard played less than 15 minutes with the Fever leaning on rookie Makayla Timpson for her physicality and activity level around the rim.
“They were going to Lyss, and Lyss was burying our bigs and so I just wanted to give a different look and I thought her activity around the rim was really good,” White said of her thought process.
“I thought our competitive spirit was good. At the end of the day, you just look at the field goal mix and the free throw mix and it’s a different ballgame. Vegas is who they are for a reason. But I felt good about where we were and we just gotta make a little more shots.”
To that point, the Fever lacked those 0.5-second decisions White has been emphasizing all season. And it didn’t help what they had available.
At times in the third quarter, they went with Mitchell and Boston, along with two players who were signed from overseas in late August — Shey Peddy and Aerial Powers — and another who had been firmly out of the rotation in Brianna Turner. There’s so many injured players on the bench that several had to sit behind due to lack of space.
Peddy played 21 minutes, more than Odyssey Sims, who doesn’t look completely healthy. She’s worn tape around her right knee and has been favoring it — both in practice and in the game. Sims, the starting point guard, finished 0 for 7 with three turnovers.
Meanwhile, the Aces got a big performance from Indiana native Jackie Young. The Indiana Miss Basketball winner in 2016 picked up the offensive slack and won her battle against the Fever’s guards, leading all scorers with 25 points on 9-of-14 shooting.
“Just coming out, being aggressive, and then just being solid,” Young said. “I think that’s the biggest thing. I needed to do a better job of taking care of the ball. Just being aggressive, making sure I (make the right read.”
Ultimately, it was 18-3 run by the Aces, including 12-3 to begin the fourth quarter, that cemented the Fever loss. They missed their first eight shots in the decisive quarter — and appear to be running on fumes.
This group has been through a lot this season — starting with week 1, with a few players dealing with injuries and then an emotional preseason game in Iowa. Less than a month later, DeWanna Bonner wanted off the team. And Caitlin Clark never had a successful restart from multiple injuries in July.
Now the Fever face another elimination game, an all-too-familiar position this season.
“You can only be emotional about it for the rest of the night,” said Mitchell. “I know I’m always hard on myself, so it’s gonna be pretty emotional for me. But after today, you turn the page and you look forward to tomorrow and stacking the day and getting the reps that you need to get to be successful on Sunday.”
Pacers Support Fever at Game 3
Just a few days before the official start to their season — yes, seriously — the Pacers were in the Fieldhouse on Friday to support the Fever.
Tyrese Haliburton sat in his usual courtside seat, next to Connor McCaffery.
A few seats down from them was Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle. And in seats on the other side of the basket, adjacent to the Fever bench was Obi Toppin with his family. He wanted to make sure his two daughters enjoyed the game.
Even more, the rest of the team watched the game together up in a suite.
Others in the stands: Owner Steven Rales, Tamika Catchings, Katie Douglas, and Zaire Franklin of the Colts.
Before the game, the team held a moment of silence to remember Nancy Leonard.
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