FSM Essential Recap: Aces vs Fever - Game 27 - 2022

FSM Essential Recap: Aces vs Fever – Game 27 – 2022

Franchise Sports Media

Las Vegas Aces (19-8)  |  Indiana Fever (5-24)

 

The Las Vegas Aces rebounded from Tuesday’s terrible loss with a 90-77 win over the Indiana Fever on Thursday night. Keep reading for a recap of how it all unfolded.

 

RECAP

It had been over a month since the Las Vegas Aces last won a game at Michelob ULTRA Arena. To be exact — 32 days. The stretch included four home losses. One embarrassing loss to the inferior Atlanta Dream. A horrendous display of defense in the losing effort against the New York Liberty. A forgivable but disappointing loss to a championship-contending Washington Mystics team and a historically bad loss to the defending champion Chicago Sky. And while Thursday’s 90-77 win over the last-place Indiana Fever was expected not very impressive, given the context, it was desperately needed for an Aces team that is trying to finish the season as well as it started it.

I say this in the most respectful way possible — the Aces and Fever are in completely contrasting tiers. Las Vegas is a veteran-led, multiple All-Star, championship-contending team that has been one of the WNBA‘s better teams over the past few seasons. Indiana is young, inexperienced, and still a work in progress — as seen in its current 5-24 record. A record that comes on the heels of a 6-26 season and 6-16 season before that.

And it took little to no time for the Aces to make it known how vastly superior they were. They led by a pedestrian six points after the first quarter but pushed and extended it to 20 points by the end of the half. Before the fourth quarter could even begin, the reserves were already in and prepared to play out the rest of garbage time after the starters had built the lead-up to a considerable amount.

But the bench didn’t last. The lead dwindled to 16 before Becky Hammon recalled all five starters from the bench. Nevertheless, the five closed the show and scored the Aces a 90-77 win, their 19th of the season.

 

NOTES

• Chelsea Gray put on another one of her dazzling post-All-Star-Break performances. She set the tone from the tempo and had minor issues picking apart the Indiana defense in the halfcourt. She finished with 14 points, three steals, and a season-high 12 assists.
• The Aces did a fantastic job on defense in holding the electrifying Kelsey Mitchell 10 points below her season average.
• NaLyssa Smith was one of the lone bright spots for the Fever on Thursday night. She looked comfortable as a scorer and showed the potential of how good she could be by the time she hits her prime. Smith impressed with 24 points and a career-best five 3-point makes.

 

KEY PERFORMERS

A’ja Wilson (Las Vegas Aces) – 23 PTS, 8 REBS, 3 ASTS, 2 STLS, 1 BLK, 2/2 3PT

Chelsea Gray (Las Vegas Aces) – 14 PTS, 5 REBS, 12 ASTS, 3 STLS

Jackie Young (Las Vegas Aces) – 16 PTS, 5 REBS

NaLyssa Smith (Indiana Fever) – 24 PTS, 5 REBS, 1 STL, 5/7 3PT

Victoria Vivians (Indiana Fever) – 14 PTS, 3 REBS, 3 ASTS, 1 STL, 2/4 3PT

Queen Egbo (Indiana Fever) – 7 PTS, 8 REBS, 1 STL, 3 BLKS

 

The Aces will stay home to finish their three-game homestand when they face Liz Cambage and the Los Angeles Sparks on Saturday, July 23rd. Be sure to follow the action live at 7 pm PST on NBA TV, and then come back here for a full recap of the game.

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-Cole Huff– Franchise Sports Media