Las Vegas, NV— A’ja Wilson delivered a standout performance with 21 points and five blocks after earning her record-tying third MVP award earlier in the day. The two-time defending champion Las Vegas Aces dominated the fourth quarter, limiting the Seattle Storm to just two free throws, and secured a 78-67 victory in Game 1 of their best-of-three series.
Wilson struggled early, making only 1 of 8 shots as the Aces fell behind 18-9 after the first quarter, missing 16 of their first 18 attempts. By halftime, she had only four points, and the Storm held a 42-38 lead after Jordan Horston and Mercedes Russell both sank two free throws in the last 43 seconds.
However, the second half saw a dramatic shift. Wilson found her rhythm, scoring 15 of the Aces’ 26 points in the third quarter, including a three-pointer. Skylar Diggins-Smith contributed a crucial three-point play late in the period, allowing Seattle to take a narrow 65-64 lead into the final quarter.
Kelsey Plum, who had missed her first seven shots, finally scored to give Las Vegas the lead early in the fourth. Seattle struggled offensively, missing their first seven shots of the quarter. Back-to-back layups from Wilson and Tiffany Hayes extended the Aces’ lead to 70-65 with 4:49 remaining.
Diggins-Smith managed to hit two free throws, narrowing the gap, but Chelsea Gray responded with two baskets during an 8-0 run that sealed the victory. Seattle ended the game without making a single field goal in the final 10 minutes, missing all 13 of their attempts and committing six turnovers.
Hayes contributed significantly off the bench for the fourth-seeded Aces, finishing with 20 points and five steals. Gray added 16 points and seven assists, while Jackie Young chipped in 12 points and seven rebounds. Wilson also grabbed eight boards, joining the ranks of league legends Sheryl Swoopes, Lisa Leslie, and Lauren Jackson as a three-time MVP.
For the fifth-seeded Storm, Diggins-Smith led with 16 points and eight assists. Gabby Williams recorded 14 points and eight rebounds, while Nneka Ogwumike had a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Horston contributed 10 points off the bench.
Seattle had previously defeated Las Vegas by 13 points earlier this season, but the Aces closed the regular season strong with three straight wins over the Storm, two of them by double digits.
Las Vegas will host Game 2 on Tuesday, and if necessary, the teams will head to Seattle for Game 3 on Thursday.
