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Image Credit: Candice Ward-Imagn Images
The Aces booked their seventh consecutive semifinals berth!
Image Credit: Candice Ward-Imagn Images
The Las Vegas Aces moved past the Seattle Storm in a thrilling 74-73 showdown to clinch the 2025 WNBA Playoffs first round win. With this, the Aces booked their seventh consecutive playoffs appearance. A’ja Wilson, the 2025 WNBA co-Defensive Player of the Year, once again led the charts and dropped 38 points to tie a playoff career high. She grabbed five rebounds, while dished out three assists.
With her Thursday-night’s performance, the MVP frontrunner has moved into sixth for most 20+ points in league history. Apart from her, Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray recorded double-digit scores with 14 and 12 points, respectively.
The Storm, who have been eliminated from the playoffs three times in the last four years, were led by Nneka Ogwumike and Erica Wheeler. Both Ogwumike and Wheeler poured in 16 points each, while Skylar Diggins finished with 13 points, four rebounds, and six assists.
Las Vegas Aces’ Final-Seconds Lead Guide Them Beyond Victory Line
It was one of the most thrilling clashes of the season, where both teams went back and forth down the stretch. While the Storm put on a tough fight and left all out on the court, the Aces ultimately prevailed. The visitors edged out the Aces in the opening quarter with a 19-14 lead. However, they were restricted under seven points in the second half as their rivals entered halftime with a 33-26 lead.
They maintained their dominance in the second half as well and entered the final frame with a 52-48 lead. While the action moved to and fro, the Aces found themselves leading the game 66-61 late in the game. However, Ogwumike’s three-pointer, followed by Erica Wheeler’s foul tied the game at 66. Things got intense in the final two minutes with both teams trading baskets. In the final 19 seconds, Wheeler scored a running two-pointer to take the Storm up 73-72.
The Aces called a timeout, and A’ja Wilson took a mid-range jumper, but failed. However, Young grabbed a rebound, and scored a putback to take a 74-73 lead in the final seconds. Towards the end, they stopped Wheeler’s final shot and eventually moved past the victory line. Las Vegas shot 28-of-61 from the field and 3-of-12 from the three-point range, as compared to their counterparts’ 26-of- 65 shooting from the field, 7-of-18 from beyond the arc, and 7-of-18 from the free-throw line.
In the 2025 WNBA Playoffs semifinals, the Aces will be up against the Indiana Fever, who are coming off an incredible win over the Atlanta Dream in the series decider. The semifinals are scheduled to begin on Sunday, September 21.
Garima is a sports writer with around two years of experience in Indian sports and a newfound interest in the NBA. Inspired by the leadership of cricketing legend MS Dhoni, she wishes to bring in newer perspectives to the NBA fanatics with her writing.
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