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 can mark a collision between the league’s most achieved program of the previous decade and one among its most resilient underdogs.
Recreation 1 ideas off at 12 p.m. PT and can air nationally on ABC.
Aces Examined, however Wilson Regular
The Aces entered the playoffs using a 16-game profitable streak, however their first-round collection towards the Seattle Storm confirmed vulnerabilities. After controlling Recreation 1, Las Vegas stumbled in Recreation 2 on the highway, surrendering a late lead and failing to match Seattle’s bodily edge. Head coach Becky Hammon admitted her staff had been outworked.
“They’re taking part in for his or her lives. They higher be bodily,” Hammon mentioned. “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 staff’s defensive breakdowns.
“We guarded poorly on the three-point line. Our palms had been down. We weren’t disrupted. We weren’t even guarding. … No, it’s trash, rubbish,” she mentioned.
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 pair of.0 blocks. Her 38-point efficiency in a 74–73 Recreation 3 victory was the distinction between transferring on and being despatched residence early.
“No pun meant however we weathered the Storm,” Wilson mentioned. “They punched us and we punched again and we saved punching. … The job isn’t achieved. 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 Recreation 2 gave the Aces an opportunity, and Hammon famous that her power is significant to the staff’s success.
“We’re not going wherever with out her, so we acquired to get her going,” Hammon mentioned.
Chelsea Grey, in the meantime, offered stability on the level guard spot. She averaged 7.7 assists within the collection, up from her 5.4 common throughout 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 highway, 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 Recreation 3, she delivered a decisive double-double and scored the profitable basket to seal Indiana’s development.
Veteran guard Odyssey Sims, who joined the staff late within the season, mentioned the short connection inside the locker room has been important to the Fever’s surge.
Recreation 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 acquired welcomed with open arms from day one,” Sims mentioned. “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 staff’s resilience, noting {that a} comeback towards Connecticut earlier this 12 months satisfied them they might compete with anybody.
“Individuals suppose we aren’t going to win, however the sport’s by no means over till the ultimate buzzer,” Hull mentioned.
Head coach Stephanie White mentioned this playoff run displays the staff’s development and willpower by means of adversity.
“You might see how particular this group was, how a lot they fought for each other, refused to offer in,” White mentioned. “So many nice life classes with this group; it was a turning level.”
Common-Season Classes
Indiana gained the regular-season collection 2–1, claiming each video games in Indianapolis. Las Vegas earned an 89–81 victory at residence 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 grow to be 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 area targets made.
Grey is inside attain of a milestone of her personal. With 13 extra factors, she’s going to grow to be solely the second participant, alongside Whalen, to document at the very least 800 playoff factors and 300 assists.
Younger is poised to maneuver up the document books as properly, getting into the collection tied with Candace Parker on the all-time playoff three-pointers checklist. Yet one more 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 Kinds
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 mentioned the Fever’s finest likelihood comes from their potential to set the tone defensively.
“On the level of assault defensively, you bought to be there,” Mitchell mentioned. “Clearly you’re coping with among the finest gamers on the planet, so … if we wait, they’ll make us pay each time.”
For the Aces, the main target might be on sustaining tempo, defending the glass, and giving Wilson sufficient assist to maintain the offense flowing. For the Fever, limiting Wilson’s effectivity and profitable the rebounding battle may present the equalizer.
Becky Hammon speaking in regards to the Fever-Aces matchup in semis:
“They haven’t seen the true Aces but. They caught us after we had been in a turmoil. We’ll buckle in, hone in the place we will 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 obvious: proceed the march towards a 3rd championship in 4 years and reinforce its declare because the WNBA’s fashionable dynasty.
For Indiana, the semifinal berth is each validation and alternative. Regardless of dropping Caitlin Clark and several 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 mentioned the Aces will maintain the main target inward because the stage grows bigger.
“Identical mindset,” she mentioned. “It’s actually by no means in regards to the different staff; it’s at all times going to be about us. We gotta play Aces basketball, and we’ll see what the sport offers us.”
Recreation 2 is scheduled for Tuesday in Las Vegas earlier than the collection shifts to Indiana for Recreation 3.
