INDIANAPOLIS — In a back-and-forth affair Friday night, the Las Vegas Aces took Game 3 to go up 2-1 in their WNBA semifinal series with the Indiana Fever.
Following its 84-72 win, Las Vegas will attempt to seal the series and book its spot in the WNBA Finals on Sunday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse (3 p.m. ET, ABC).
The second game of the night features the 1-seeded Minnesota Lynx attempting to come back from Tuesday night’s overtime loss to the 4-seeded Phoenix Mercury in their tied semifinals series (ESPN2).
How did Las Vegas pull out the win? Can Indiana keep its season from ending Sunday? ESPN breaks down Friday night’s games.
MORE: Schedule | Coaching carousel | Offseason guide
Final: Las Vegas 84, Indiana 72
What the win means for Las Vegas
The Aces are one win away from returning to the WNBA Finals with a chance to secure their third title in four years. That would have sounded improbable earlier this season when the team stumbled with a 12-13 record. For Las Vegas to get the win Friday despite an off day from four-time MVP A’ja Wilson — she finished 6-for-20 and missed 12 straight shots after making her first field goal — bodes well for its chances of closing out the series.
Jackie Young (25 points) and NaLyssa Smith (16) stepped up while Wilson struggled, with Smith putting together her second consecutive double-digit scoring game. And the Aces showed their championship pedigree by tightening their defense down the stretch, limiting the Fever to five points through the first eight minutes of the fourth quarter.
What the loss means for Indiana
The magic might be running out for the Fever, who overcame season-ending injuries to Caitlin Clark and four others to make it to the franchise’s first semifinals since 2015. Indiana won two straight elimination games in the first round against Atlanta — but the Aces are a much more experienced and formidable opponent to have to do that against. Game 4 is once more on Indiana’s home floor, though that advantage might not be enough to stave off elimination.
The Fever, who snagged the momentum in the second quarter and led by as many as five in the third, will be kicking themselves after some costly mistakes: a defensive lapse that allowed Young to put the Aces up three at the end of the third quarter, a 13-for-21 shooting from the free throw line and 8-for-17 shooting from within 3 feet of the basket. They couldn’t get anything going offensively in the fourth quarter until it was too late, not making a shot from the field until the 2:25 mark.
The X factor for Game 4
Can the Fever get more scoring outside of Kelsey Mitchell? Lexie Hull has now hit double figures in two straight games but Indiana could use Natasha Howard and/or Odyssey Sims to step up offensively. It’s unlikely Mitchell will be able to pop off for 34 points again like she did in Game 1, so she needs help.
Las Vegas coach Becky Hammon has also talked a lot about her team needing to not get too high after wins; can the Aces do that Sunday with the Finals within striking distance? Will the Fever play free or under pressure trying to save their season? — Alexa Philippou