A'ja Wilson and Chelsea Gray carry Aces past Fever after Indiana's late push

A race to 31 before Las Vegas found the edge

Indiana arrived sharply and had enough early scoring to make the opening quarter feel unstable for the home side. Kelsey Mitchell opened the night with a three, Caitlin Clark followed with a pair from deep, and the Fever built leads of 18-13 and 29-25 behind quick perimeter shot-making and Aliyah Boston's work inside.

Las Vegas answered with the player Indiana never solved for long. Wilson scored from the elbow, in the lane and at the line, then added a three with 3:21 left in the first quarter to pull the Aces within two. By the end of the period, the teams had traded the lead several times and settled at 31-31 after Chelsea Gray scored on a driving layup and Sophie Cunningham hit a late jumper for Indiana.

That high-scoring start gave way to a more revealing second quarter. The Fever briefly moved back in front at 34-33 on a Boston layup with 7:51 left in the half, but Jackie Young's two free throws put Las Vegas back ahead. Indiana managed ties at 40-40 and 42-42, yet it never led again after that Boston basket.

Wilson's third-quarter command set the terms

The Aces did not break the game open in one burst, but they kept producing the next answer. Gray's pull-up scoring stabilized the half-court offence, Young added a three, and Las Vegas took a 54-48 lead into the break after outscoring Indiana 23-17 in the second.

The third quarter belonged largely to Wilson. She scored on a pull-up, a turnaround, another mid-range jumper and then a 26-foot three, pushing Las Vegas from a six-point halftime edge to a 63-53 advantage. When Gray buried a three at 4:32 of the third, the Aces were up 67-55, their largest lead to that point, and the game had tilted toward their efficiency rather than Indiana's volume.

To the Fever's credit, they did not let the night disappear there. Boston hit from long range, Myisha Hines-Allen scored twice in the final three minutes of the third, and Clark added a late layup and free throw to trim the deficit to 70-65 entering the fourth. That sequence kept the margin close enough for a real finish instead of a quiet runout.

Our take

Indiana's push in the final quarter made the closing stretch worth watching. Cunningham opened the period with a three, Boston drilled another from deep at 5:53, and Mitchell's step-back three at the 3:00 mark cut Las Vegas' lead to 82-80. For a team that shot only 38.5 per cent overall and 28.1 per cent from three, getting that close said something about the Fever's persistence on the glass and around the basket. They finished with a 38-34 rebounding edge, nine offensive boards and a 36-22 advantage in paint points.

But the numbers that decided the game sat at the foul line and beside Las Vegas' top names. The Aces attempted 35 free throws to Indiana's 20 and made 28 of them. Wilson alone went 12 of 15 there, while Gray was perfect at 6 for 6 and repeatedly scored when the Fever had a chance to make it a one-possession game. After Mitchell's three made it 82-80, Las Vegas closed with Gray free throws, a Gray jumper, more Wilson free throws and two from Young. That is a veteran finish, even if it was not a flawless one.

Wilson's 36-point, 10-rebound line was the headline, but Las Vegas had a second and third pillar. Gray scored 23 on 8-of-15 shooting and Young supplied 18 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. That trio accounted for 77 of the Aces' 94 points. Indiana, meanwhile, got solid production across its core without enough efficiency from its highest-usage scorers. Mitchell had 23 points but needed 23 shots; Clark scored 18 with four assists, six turnovers and five fouls; Boston was the steadiest Fever presence with 19 points and 10 rebounds on 8-of-16 shooting, and Hines-Allen added 12 points and 12 rebounds off the frontcourt rotation.

If there is a clear lesson for Indiana, it is not mysterious: the Fever gave themselves a chance despite a difficult shooting night, but 27 fouls and a 14-point gap at the stripe are a hard burden against this calibre of scorer. For Las Vegas, the win came with a reminder of its own. The Aces were sharper from the field at 45.3 per cent and better from three at 40 per cent, yet they still allowed a late two-point game and were beaten on the offensive glass 9-2. The result was strong; the control came and went. Against a talented opponent, Wilson and Gray simply made sure the finish belonged to Las Vegas.

Scoring moments

1. 1st Quarter · 9:50

   Kelsey Mitchell makes 26-foot three point jumper (Makayla Timpson assists)

2. 1st Quarter · 9:27

   A'ja Wilson makes 11-foot turnaround jump shot (Chelsea Gray assists)

3. 1st Quarter · 9:01

   Caitlin Clark makes 24-foot three pointer

4. 1st Quarter · 8:26

   Kelsey Mitchell makes 14-foot jumper (Caitlin Clark assists)

5. 1st Quarter · 7:50

   Caitlin Clark makes 21-foot step back jumpshot

6. 1st Quarter · 7:23

   Chelsea Gray makes 11-foot step back jumpshot

7. 1st Quarter · 7:17

   Aliyah Boston makes layup (Caitlin Clark assists)

8. 1st Quarter · 7:04

   A'ja Wilson makes 11-foot step back jumpshot

9. 1st Quarter · 6:40

   Jewell Loyd makes 24-foot three point jumper (Jackie Young assists)

10. 1st Quarter · 6:06

    Caitlin Clark makes 29-foot three pointer

11. 1st Quarter · 5:43

    A'ja Wilson makes 15-foot step back jumpshot

12. 1st Quarter · 5:28

    Aliyah Boston makes two point shot

13. 1st Quarter · 5:20

    Jackie Young makes 2-foot floating jump shot (Chelsea Gray assists)

14. 1st Quarter · 5:09

    Makayla Timpson makes free throw 2 of 2

15. 1st Quarter · 5:06

    A'ja Wilson makes free throw 1 of 2

16. 1st Quarter · 5:06

    A'ja Wilson makes free throw 2 of 2

17. 1st Quarter · 4:55

    Aliyah Boston makes 3-foot layup (Kelsey Mitchell assists)

18. 1st Quarter · 3:46

    Cheyenne Parker-Tyus makes tip shot

19. 1st Quarter · 3:39

    Makayla Timpson makes layup (Monique Billings assists)

20. 1st Quarter · 3:21

    A'ja Wilson makes 24-foot three point jumper (Chelsea Gray assists)

21. 1st Quarter · 2:58

    A'ja Wilson makes running layup (Chelsea Gray assists)

22. 1st Quarter · 2:58

    A'ja Wilson makes free throw 1 of 1

23. 1st Quarter · 2:49

    Kelsey Mitchell makes 3-foot two point shot

24. 1st Quarter · 2:37

    Cheyenne Parker-Tyus makes 2-foot layup (A'ja Wilson assists)

25. 1st Quarter · 2:22

    Aliyah Boston makes driving layup

26. 1st Quarter · 1:59

    Caitlin Clark makes 25-foot running jump shot (Aliyah Boston assists)

27. 1st Quarter · 1:36

    Jackie Young makes 25-foot three pointer

28. 1st Quarter · 1:19

    Cheyenne Parker-Tyus makes free throw 2 of 2

29. 1st Quarter · 27.7

    Chelsea Gray makes driving layup

30. 1st Quarter · 1.5

    Sophie Cunningham makes 13-foot jumper

31. 2nd Quarter · 8:52

    Chelsea Gray makes technical free throw

32. 2nd Quarter · 8:34

    Aliyah Boston makes free throw 2 of 2

33. 2nd Quarter · 8:16

    A'ja Wilson makes free throw 2 of 2

34. 2nd Quarter · 7:51

    Aliyah Boston makes layup (Sophie Cunningham assists)

35. 2nd Quarter · 7:34

    Jackie Young makes free throw 1 of 2

36. 2nd Quarter · 7:34

    Jackie Young makes free throw 2 of 2

37. 2nd Quarter · 6:17

    Chelsea Gray makes 15-foot pullup jump shot

38. 2nd Quarter · 5:55

    Myisha Hines-Allen makes layup (Aliyah Boston assists)

39. 2nd Quarter · 5:39

    Jewell Loyd makes 25-foot three point jumper (Jackie Young assists)

40. 2nd Quarter · 5:28

    Myisha Hines-Allen makes layup (Caitlin Clark assists)

41. 2nd Quarter · 4:45

    Myisha Hines-Allen makes running layup (Caitlin Clark assists)

42. 2nd Quarter · 4:30

    Jewell Loyd makes free throw 1 of 2

43. 2nd Quarter · 4:30

    Jewell Loyd makes free throw 2 of 2

44. 2nd Quarter · 3:54

    Myisha Hines-Allen makes running layup (Sophie Cunningham assists)

45. 2nd Quarter · 3:37

    A'ja Wilson makes 10-foot jumper (Jackie Young assists)

46. 2nd Quarter · 2:53

    A'ja Wilson makes 10-foot running jump shot (Cheyenne Parker-Tyus assists)

47. 2nd Quarter · 2:04

    A'ja Wilson makes free throw 1 of 2

48. 2nd Quarter · 2:04

    A'ja Wilson makes free throw 2 of 2

49. 2nd Quarter · 1:16

    Makayla Timpson makes free throw 2 of 2

50. 2nd Quarter · 1:06

    Jackie Young makes 25-foot three pointer

51. 2nd Quarter · 53.9

    Kelsey Mitchell makes free throw 1 of 2

52. 2nd Quarter · 53.9

    Kelsey Mitchell makes free throw 2 of 2

53. 2nd Quarter · 29.9

    Kelsey Mitchell makes free throw 2 of 2

54. 2nd Quarter · 11.4

    Jewell Loyd makes 23-foot three point jumper (Jackie Young assists)

55. 2nd Quarter · 2.5

    Caitlin Clark makes free throw 1 of 2

56. 2nd Quarter · 2.5

    Caitlin Clark makes free throw 2 of 2

57. 3rd Quarter · 9:16

    Jackie Young makes 12-foot fade away jump shot

58. 3rd Quarter · 8:49

    A'ja Wilson makes 17-foot pullup jump shot (Jewell Loyd assists)

59. 3rd Quarter · 8:10

    Kelsey Mitchell makes 25-foot three point step back jumpshot

60. 3rd Quarter · 7:36

    A'ja Wilson makes 10-foot turnaround jump shot (Jackie Young assists)

61. 3rd Quarter · 7:15

    Aliyah Boston makes driving layup

62. 3rd Quarter · 6:48

    A'ja Wilson makes 26-foot three point jumper (Jackie Young assists)

63. 3rd Quarter · 6:25

    Kelsey Mitchell makes 2-foot two point shot

64. 3rd Quarter · 6:07

    A'ja Wilson makes free throw 1 of 2

65. 3rd Quarter · 4:32

    Chelsea Gray makes 25-foot three point jumper (Jackie Young assists)

66. 3rd Quarter · 3:59

    Aliyah Boston makes 22-foot three point jumper (Myisha Hines-Allen assists)

67. 3rd Quarter · 2:50

    Myisha Hines-Allen makes 10-foot jumper (Aliyah Boston assists)

68. 3rd Quarter · 1:58

    Cheyenne Parker-Tyus makes free throw 1 of 2

69. 3rd Quarter · 1:41

    Myisha Hines-Allen makes free throw 1 of 2

70. 3rd Quarter · 1:41

    Myisha Hines-Allen makes free throw 2 of 2

71. 3rd Quarter · 32.8

    Caitlin Clark makes running layup

72. 3rd Quarter · 15.5

    Chelsea Gray makes 12-foot fade away jump shot

73. 3rd Quarter · 5.6

    Caitlin Clark makes free throw 1 of 2

74. 4th Quarter · 8:50

    Sophie Cunningham makes 27-foot three point jumper (Lexie Hull assists)

75. 4th Quarter · 8:35

    Jackie Young makes 2-foot layup (Chelsea Gray assists)

76. 4th Quarter · 8:04

    A'ja Wilson makes 3-foot two point shot

77. 4th Quarter · 7:35

    Raven Johnson makes 3-foot driving floating jump shot

78. 4th Quarter · 7:02

    Chelsea Gray makes 13-foot two point shot

79. 4th Quarter · 7:02

    Chelsea Gray makes free throw 1 of 1

80. 4th Quarter · 6:29

    Jackie Young makes free throw 1 of 2

81. 4th Quarter · 6:29

    Jackie Young makes free throw 2 of 2

82. 4th Quarter · 6:10

    A'ja Wilson makes free throw 2 of 2

83. 4th Quarter · 5:53

    Aliyah Boston makes 26-foot three point jumper (Kelsey Mitchell assists)

84. 4th Quarter · 4:26

    Chelsea Gray makes 20-foot step back jumpshot

85. 4th Quarter · 4:11

    Kelsey Mitchell makes free throw 1 of 2

86. 4th Quarter · 4:11

    Kelsey Mitchell makes free throw 2 of 2

87. 4th Quarter · 3:43

    Kelsey Mitchell makes two point shot (Monique Billings assists)

88. 4th Quarter · 3:00

    Kelsey Mitchell makes 25-foot three point step back jumpshot

89. 4th Quarter · 2:15

    Chelsea Gray makes free throw 1 of 2

90. 4th Quarter · 2:15

    Chelsea Gray makes free throw 2 of 2

91. 4th Quarter · 1:25

    Chelsea Gray makes 16-foot pullup jump shot

92. 4th Quarter · 1:19

    Caitlin Clark makes 7-foot two point shot

93. 4th Quarter · 46.8

    A'ja Wilson makes free throw 1 of 2

94. 4th Quarter · 46.8

    A'ja Wilson makes free throw 2 of 2

95. 4th Quarter · 39.6

    Kelsey Mitchell makes free throw 2 of 2

96. 4th Quarter · 26.2

    Chelsea Gray makes free throw 1 of 2

97. 4th Quarter · 26.2

    Chelsea Gray makes free throw 2 of 2

98. 4th Quarter · 14.9

    Jackie Young makes free throw 1 of 2

99. 4th Quarter · 14.9

    Jackie Young makes free throw 2 of 2

100. 4th Quarter · 10.0

     A'ja Wilson makes free throw 1 of 2

101. 4th Quarter · 10.0

     A'ja Wilson makes free throw 2 of 2