There were three games and much to discuss in the Indiana Fever vs Las Vegas Aces (WNBA Playoffs) series. The 6th seeded Fever worked hard to beat the 3rd seeded Aces to keep the series on, and he did just that when he won Game 2 of the series at home.
Here’s the recap of all the scores, the big moments and a simple explanation of why Las Vegas advanced. We also take a look at the two teams’ regular season play and who the Aces are up against in the semifinals.
Series Snapshot: Seeds, Format and Result
Each round of the WNBA playoffs is a best-of-three playoff. The first team to win 2 games advances and the higher ranked team receives two home games.
Las Vegas was the No.3 seed. Indiana was the No. 6 seeded country. That meant the Aces were at home for Game 1 and Game 3 and the Fever were at home in Indianapolis for Game 2.
The final result: Las Vegas won the series 2-1 and ended Indiana’s season.
| Game | Location | Score | Winner |
| Game 1 | Las Vegas | Aces 102, Fever 85 | Aces |
| Game 2 | Indianapolis | Fever 99, Aces 89 | Fever |
| Game 3 | Las Vegas | Aces 94, Fever 83 | Aces |
Game-by-Game Recap
Game 1: Aces 102, Fever 85
The Aces got off to a great start at home. They scored 102 points and beat the Fever by 17, the biggest margin of the series. It’s not an easy task to get over 100 points in a playoff game, and it started the ball rolling for Indiana.
The Fever scored just 85 points. That’s far below their performances in some of their best games this season, including 105 at Seattle and 112 at Portland. The only home game in the series was in Game 2, so Indiana had to get a decision quickly or their season would be up.
Game 2: Fever 99, Aces 89
It was found in Indiana. The Fever finished with a 99-point victory, 10 points over home, in Indianapolis. That was 14 points better than they had in Game 1, and the offense played much better.
The Fever also held Las Vegas to 89 points, 13 less than the Aces scored in the opener. The victory kept the season alive for Indiana, and pushed them into a deciding Game 3. It was a good sign of resilience on their part, as they had lost the first game by 17.
Game 3: Aces 94, Fever 83
The game that decided it was back to Las Vegas where the Aces had the home crowd and home court. They beat them 94-83, 11 points, and advanced to the next round.
Indiana’s 83 points was the lowest for any team during the series. The Aces were never to let the game go, and the Fever were unable to score the way they did in Game 2. In a one-game-decider, the gap was that.
Regular-Season Context: How These Teams Met Before
That playoff series was not unexpected from either team that played throughout the year. The Aces defeated the Fever 86-84 on Aug. 6 in Indianapolis. With the score as close as it was, that was just a two-point loss.
Late season also was not the same in Indiana as they made it to the playoffs with a mixed record. In September the Fever had proven they could score and defend on a good night when they beat Toronto 103-85 and Minnesota 96-77. They also took a pair of losses to the quiet offensive teams of Washington (93-77) and Minnesota (86-66).
The up and down trend continued in the Aces series. The Fever were formidable in Game 2 and then not able to maintain that in the remaining two games.
Why the Aces Advanced?
There are a few things that stand out when examining the numbers.
Home court mattered. The Aces played two of the three games at home and won both. The Hoosiers won just one game in the basement. In a short series that additional game at home can make all the difference.
The Aces had more and more runs. Las Vegas earned 95 points per game in the three contests with an overall average of 285. The average for Indiana was 89. It can add up really fast in a short series.
Both Aces wins were by double digits. Vegas took the lead by 17 and 11 points. The Fever have won just one game and lost by 10. If one team manages to win in style, and the other by 11 points, the series tends to go the same way and that’s exactly what happened.
Indiana proved they could be a competitor. The Fever were able to make that point in game two of the series against this Aces team. The issue was, doing it more than once. During Games 1 and 3, Indiana netted 85 and 83 points, respectively, and wasn’t satisfied.
There is a simple takeaway here. Las Vegas remained consistent between games, while Indiana’s other two games didn’t fare as well as its best effort.
What’s Next: Aces vs Valkyries in the Semifinals
The victory put Las Vegas in the WNBA semifinals. The Aces are now heading to the Golden State Valkyries for the 2nd seed in the bracket.
Golden State is 1-0 at the time of this write-up. The other semifinal will match up the fourth-seeded Atlanta Dream with the eighth-seeded New York Liberty, with Atlanta holding a 1-0 advantage in the series.
The challenge for the Aces is obvious. They will play a higher seeded team, and will be expected to score in the same fashion that got them past Indiana. Please refer to current scores before reading this, as the semi results are constantly changing.
Final Word
The series between the Indiana Fever and Las Vegas Aces (WNBA Playoffs) was closer than the seedings led us to believe as the Aces won the series 2-1. In Game 2, Indiana showed some fight and in Game 3, Las Vegas came back with a solid 94-83 victory. The Aces will now play Golden State in the semifinals. Follow our coverage for more WNBA playoff scores, schedules and recaps.
FAQs
1.Who was the winner of the Indiana Fever vs. the Las Vegas Aces playoff series?
The Las Vegas Aces won the first round series 2-1. They won Game 1 in their home city and lost Game 2 in Indianapolis, but won the deciding Game 3 in Las Vegas. The victory put the Fever out of the running for the season.
2. What were the scores of each game?
Game 1: Aces 102, Fever 85. Game 2: Fever 99, Aces 89. Game 3: Aces 94, Fever 83. The Aces won both games in Las Vegas, but the only victory that was recorded on the score sheet was at home in Game 2.
3. What were the seeds in this matchup?
The third seed in Las Vegas was at the tournament, and the sixth seed was from Indiana. As a result, the Aces would have home-court advantage and host Games 1 and 3. Game 2 was played in Indianapolis as part of the Fever.
4. Who did the Aces overcome in the regular season?
No, the Aces swept the regular-season series 2-0, holding off the Mavericks by a narrow 2 point score, in their Aug. 6 meeting in Indianapolis. This tight finish suggested that the series would be tight and it was.
5. Who do the Aces play after beating the Fever?
The second seed Golden State Valkyries were defeated by the fourth-seeded Las Vegas in the WNBA semifinals. This series is ongoing, and the final scores are available at the time of the game.
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