Aces even WNBA semifinal series at 1-1 with blowout win over Fever

Lexie Hull scored 15 points for the Indiana Fever in a Game 2 semifinals loss in Las Vegas. (photo courtesy Indiana Fever)

A’ja Wilson bounced back from a rare off game with 25 points and nine rebounds, and the host Las Vegas Aces evened their WNBA semifinals playoff series with a convincing 90-68 Game 2 victory over the Indiana Fever on Tuesday night.

The best-of-five series heads to Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, where Game 3 is set for Friday night at 7:30 and Game 4 is scheduled for Sunday at 3 p.m.

Wilson made 10 of 18 shots to go with playoff career-high five steals, two nights after the four-time MVP made just 6 of 22 field goals. NaLyssa Smith added 18 points on 7-of-9 shooting and Jackie Young scored 13. Jewell Loyd and Dana Evans each had 10 points. Chelsea Gray finished with 10 assists.

Odyssey Sims led the Fever with 18 points and Lexie Hull, who was questionable with a back injury and wore a brace while on the bench, scored 15. Kelsey Mitchell had 13 points and Aliyah Boston 10.

Mitchell scored 34 points in Game 1 as the Fever rolled to an 89-73 victory, but she was held to 4-of-14 shooting on Tuesday.

The second-seeded Aces came into the playoffs on a 16-game winning streak, but barely got by Seattle in the opening round and then were blown out at home to open this series. This game, in which the Aces led by as many as 26 points, more closely resembled the play by the WNBA’s hottest team at the end of the regular season.

But the short-handed Fever have proven to be a tough opponent. Sixth-seeded Indiana upset No. 3 Atlanta in the quarterfinals, and now head home with the chance to close out this series. That despite entering Game 2 with six players out with injuries, including superstar Caitlin Clark, and another in Hull at clearly less than full health.

INDIANA (68)

Howard 3-6 0-0 6, Hull 5-16 0-0 15, Boston 5-9 0-0 10, Mitchell 4-14 4-4 13, Sims 7-12 3-5 18, Timpson 0-0 0-0 0, Turner 0-0 1-2 1, Hall 0-0 0-0 0, Peddy 1-2 2-2 4, Powers 0-2 1-2 1. Totals 25-61 11-15 68.

LAS VEGAS (90)

Bell 2-3 0-0 4, Wilson 10-18 4-4 25, Smith 7-9 4-9 18, Gray 2-6 2-3 6, Young 5-11 1-1 13, Parker-Tyus 1-3 0-0 2, Nye 0-0 0-0 0, Gustafson 1-3 0-0 2, Stokes 0-0 0-0 0, Evans 5-9 0-0 10, Loyd 2-3 4-4 10. Totals 35-65 15-21 90.

3-Point Goals_Indiana 7-20 (Hull 5-11, Sims 1-2, Mitchell 1-6, Peddy 0-1), Las Vegas 5-12 (Loyd 2-3, Young 2-5, Wilson 1-1, Bell 0-1, Gustafson 0-2). Fouled Out_None. Rebounds_Indiana 30 (Boston 13), Las Vegas 30 (Wilson 9). Assists_Indiana 18 (Sims 7), Las Vegas 22 (Gray 10). Total Fouls_Indiana 19, Las Vegas 22. A_10,516 (12,000)