LAS VEGAS — Becky Hammon thought her Las Vegas Aces were too nice for a rough playoff battle.
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“You can’t tiptoe into a bar fight,” Hammon said in the lead-up to Game 2.
The debate over officiating has become a talking point for fans and analysts. Some argue that allowing so much physicality risks injury, particularly with stars like Wilson and Boston battling under the basket on nearly every possession. Others contend that the lack of constant whistles adds to the excitement, creating a gritty, authentic version of playoff basketball that resonates with audiences tired of over-officiated games. Social media has buzzed with highlight reels of hard fouls and scrappy rebounds, with fans noting that many of those plays would result in flagrant fouls or reviews in the NBA.
For players, the message is clear: adapt or be left behind. Guards are learning to fight through contact on drives, bigs are preparing for bruises after every rebound, and everyone on the floor understands that composure is as important as physical strength. In many ways, the series has become a mental battle as much as a physical one. Keeping focus after a no-call or a rough hit can determine whether a team holds momentum or unravels under pressure.
Despite the grind, the level of basketball has been impressive. Wilson has continued to showcase why she is considered one of the best players in the world, combining skill with resilience as she battles through double-teams and heavy contact. Boston, meanwhile, has shown maturity beyond her years, holding her own against veteran stars and proving that she belongs on the biggest stage. Their individual duels in the paint have become symbolic of the broader clash between the two teams: youth versus experience, grit versus polish, challengers versus champions.
The Aces charged in, punched first this time and stayed as feisty as their head coach called for pre-game. Hammon called the fight officially with 4:12 left in the fourth quarter, pulling her starters for the bench to play around with a 24-point lead in hand.
The blowout 90-68 victory by the No. 2 seed Las Vegas Aces evened the semifinals, 1-1. Neither of the games has been competitive after No. 6 Indiana stole Game 1, 89-73. The series shifts to Indianapolis for Game 3 on Friday (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2).
After the series became a best-of-three, both coaches had something more to say about the buzzword of the postseason.
“The physicality is out of control, that’s for sure,” Hammon said. “I mean, you can bump and grab a wide receiver in the NFL for those first five yards, but you can do it in the W for a whole half court. You put two hands on somebody like that, it should be an automatic foul. They have the freedom of movement [as a point of emphasis]. Freedom of movement? There’s no freedom. And I’m not saying that we’re not fouling too. I’m not saying that. I’m saying it’s out of control.”
Game 2 between the Aces and the Fever saw the physicality ratched up, and both coaches had something to say about it. (Photo by Ian Maule/Getty Images)
(Ian Maule via Getty Images)
It’s been a common refrain from many of the league’s coaches at some point this year, including from the Fever’s Stephanie White after a chippy June game with Connecticut ended in a scuffle. A month later, she referenced both physicality and freedom of movement as a potential contributor to Caitlin Clark’s soft tissue injuries that limited her to 13 games all season.
In a mirror image of Hammon’s comments after Game 1, White said her team didn’t throw any punches in the second game of the series to get back into a battle. From her perch, it seems, Indiana never stepped into the fight.
“It’s hard for us to find flow when there’s a foul call every 10 seconds,” White said. “I mean, it just really is — when they’re at the free throw line, we can’t get up and down the floor. And that’s the challenge. They were much more aggressive and physical defensively.”
And as for guard Kelsey Mitchell, who saw few good looks while scoring 13 points on a 28.6% clip, after dropping 34 in the first game?
“She’s like a little pinball,” White said. “I know that the museum’s right down the street, so sometimes I feel like she’s getting pinged around everywhere.”
Ironically, the Las Vegas Pinball Hall of Fame dedicates a section where “the entire family can enjoy non-violent pinball arcade games.”
There’s an overwhelming consensus that the officiating structure in the WNBA needs to change moving forward for the better of the game. Fouls are inconsistently called. Players are constantly hacked. Coaches are forced to use challenges on basic and obvious out-of-bounds decisions.
It wasn’t even five minutes into the game when Hammon had to use hers on one in a one-point game.
“There’s three of you; I shouldn’t have to use a challenge on something that went off [a player’s] head,” said Hammon, who will surely be receiving a fine by the league office in the coming days. “And I’m sure every coach would agree, that’s maddening. If Steph had to use her challenge in the first five minutes, that’s not ideal, especially on an out-of-bounds call that I feel like is probably the easiest play to get right.”
That can all be true. But there’s also a sportsmanship clash happening between Hammon and White, two veteran coaches who recognize they can try to sway the future with the comments in the present.
Hammon rang the bell early on Indiana when she called out the physicality in the Fever’s first-round series win over Atlanta. She doesn’t want to see four-time MVP A’ja Wilson, who had the bounce-back game everyone expected, taking elbows to the face as she did in Game 1. Her offense runs best when Chelsea Gray and Jackie Young are moving the ball, finding cutters.
That’s kind of difficult when physicality is allowed to run amok.
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White is tired of seeing all-hustle Lexie Hull on the ground as much as she has been. Hull joined the availability list as questionable on Tuesday with a back injury. Hull started and played a full game with the type of tenacity one would expect from her.
“Her initial injury happened the very first time she got run over, which was in the first quarter [of Game 1],” White said pre-game. “And she took a lot of hits. She took four or five, you know, pretty solid hits in the ball game.”
At this point, the way the game is officiated isn’t going to change all that much, despite Hammon and White trying as they might. Coaches have said much of the year it’s out of control. Players say it’s the postseason and physicality is let go even more.
“Most of my assistants come from the NBA, and they’re like, this would not fly in the NBA,” Hammon said. “This level of physicality would not fly in the NBA. There would be fights. There would be fights. We just have very well-mannered women that can get to the next play, but there would be fights.”
The opening rounds of the WNBA playoffs have already delivered plenty of drama, but one storyline rising above the rest is the sheer level of physicality on display in the matchup between the Las Vegas Aces and the Indiana Fever. What began as a clash of talent has evolved into a test of toughness, with players from both sides refusing to give an inch in a series that has become must-watch basketball. Fans, commentators, and even players themselves have noted that the level of contact and intensity far exceeds what might normally be tolerated in other leagues — with some saying outright, “This would not fly in the NBA.”
From the opening tip of Game 1, it was clear that neither team intended to back down. The Aces, defending champions and known for their mix of speed and power, have leaned heavily on their aggressive style of play. Meanwhile, the Fever — a young but fearless squad — have countered with scrappy defense, hard screens, and relentless drives to the basket. The result has been a bruising, physical brand of basketball where bodies hit the floor on nearly every possession, whistles are swallowed in crunch time, and the game’s emotional intensity is amplified with every collision.
Physicality has always been part of playoff basketball, but this series has taken it to another level. Players like A’ja Wilson and Aliyah Boston have been at the center of the battle in the paint, where elbows, bumps, and box-outs feel more like heavyweight clashes than routine post play. Guards like Jackie Young and Kelsey Mitchell have also been on the receiving end of hand-checks and contact that would almost certainly draw fouls in the NBA. Yet in the WNBA postseason, the officials appear to be letting more go, allowing the players to dictate the tone.
The Fever, who entered the playoffs as underdogs, have embraced the challenge. Led by Boston, the rookie-of-the-year-turned-franchise-cornerstone, they have matched the Aces’ physicality blow for blow. While the Aces boast more experience and star power, Indiana’s grit has kept them in games, often frustrating Las Vegas’s offensive flow. Fever head coach Christie Sides praised her team’s resilience, noting that competing against the defending champions requires more than just skill — it demands toughness.
On the other side, Aces head coach Becky Hammon has defended her team’s approach, arguing that playoff basketball is supposed to be more intense. She has also suggested that the heightened physicality is part of what makes the WNBA unique, pushing back against comparisons to the NBA. Still, even Hammon acknowledged that the referees’ leniency has surprised her at times, with several players visibly wincing or shaking off hard contact after plays.
The intensity of the series also highlights the WNBA’s growing competitiveness. No longer is the league dominated by just one or two teams — younger squads like Indiana are refusing to be intimidated, and that shift has led to more dramatic, physical playoff battles. For the league itself, this kind of rivalry is gold: it generates storylines, draws in viewers, and showcases the toughness of its athletes. The conversation comparing WNBA and NBA officiating only amplifies the visibility of the women’s game, shining a spotlight on how uniquely demanding it can be.
As the series continues, the question becomes whether the physical toll will catch up to either side. The Aces have the depth and experience to weather the storm, but the Fever’s relentless energy has kept them within striking distance. Injuries and fatigue could play a role as the games pile up, especially given how punishing the matchups have been so far. Every loose ball, every rebound, and every possession feels like a war, and whichever team emerges will likely carry the scars of battle into the next round.
In the end, the physicality of this playoff matchup has become its defining feature. Whether fans view it as thrilling or concerning, there’s no denying that it has elevated the stakes and intensified the drama. The phrase “This would not fly in the NBA” has become less of a criticism and more of a badge of honor, reflecting the toughness and resilience of WNBA athletes who are proving that they can handle — and even thrive in — a level of contact rarely seen in today’s professional game. For the Aces and Fever, the message is clear: if you want to advance, you’d better be ready for a fight.
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