A’ja Wilson put on a basketball masterclass on Sunday, scoring 38 points in the Las Vegas Aces’ 102-85 blowout win over Caitlin Clark’s Indiana Fever, leaving the latter on the brink of elimination in Round 1. Before the playoffs began, she earned her fourth Associated Press Player of the Year Award and her 15-of-19 shooting amplified the hype train, as NBA greats applauded her after the game.
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Sunday quickly became the A’ja Wilson show even when potential MVP contender Caitlin Clark was also present on the hardwood. The four-time WNBA MVP dropped 38 points, 16 rebounds, four blocks, and two steals in 35 minutes. With this dominating performance, she also became the first player to score 35 points and 15 rebounds with 75% FG in any game in WNBA history (including the postseason).
That’s why Warriors superstar Draymond Green was quick to chime in on Threads, writing, “A’ja Wilson is undoubtedly The GOAT right? Like no debate at all.”
In the first half, Wilson already had 22 points and six rebounds, and the Aces led by 15 at the break. In fact, Wilson had more field goals made (nine) than Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell combined (seven) in the first half.
Former DPOY Patrick Beverley summed it up on Instagram, writing, “She so 🥶.”
His reaction came under Bleacher Report’s IG post about Wilson’s performance, where they hyped the Game 1 performance with the caption, “A’ja cannot be stopped 🤯.”
Wilson’s first-half performance was also the first time in WNBA postseason history that a player recorded 20+ points, 3+ blocks, and 2+ steals in a half. Even former NBA champion Stephen Jackson was amazed by the performance, and unlike Beverly, who called it cold, Jackson commented, “🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥.”
The three-time WNBA DPOY also tied her playoff career high with 38 points.
After the game, Aces coach Becky Hammon said, “The demands we put on her (Wilson) throughout the regular season is high. She understands the stakes always. She was a clinic tonight; she was just all over the court everywhere. Defensive end, offensive end, blocks, steals, boards, scoring. There was nothing she didn’t do tonight.”
While A’ja Wilson showed out, it was a struggle for the Fever duo, Kelsey Mitchell and Caitlin Clark. Let’s not forget, Mitchell is the second-best scorer in the WNBA this season behind Wilson, but she scored just 12 on the night on a poor 4-of-16 shooting.
And it was a similar theme for CC as well. The Fever guard had a double-double with 15 points and 10 assists, but she did it inefficiently by going 6-of-17 from the field, and also committed six turnovers in the process.
She was brutally honest in grading Indiana’s defense against the Aces as “an F.”
The Aces’ other stars contributed too. Jackie Young had 21 points, 10 assists, and scored 8-14 from the field. Chelsea Gray dropped 14 points, eight assists, and five rebounds. Jewell Loyd also chipped in 10 points off the bench on 4-of-6 shooting.
Besides NBA royalty, fans too were naturally impressed.
“All of this AND she plays Defense! She’s magic!” wrote one fan.
The performance in Game 1 against the Indiana Fever also had another story in the backdrop.
Wilson dropped out of the FIBA World Cup due to health reasons, but her specific back issue wasn’t announced by Team USA. Consequently, former ESPN analyst Linda Cohn theorized that Wilson’s absence was to avoid “the next couple of weeks watching the World Cup become the Caitlin Clark show.”
Fans had disagreed back then. And today’s performance gave another chance for netizens to hype the Aces star.
A comment stated, “That’s why aja missed the fiba because she was priming up 🔥.”
The Fever’s loss leaves Caitlin Clark and Co. on the brink of elimination in Round 1 of the WNBA playoffs. The next game on home turf on Tuesday, Sep. 29, is a must-win to take the three-game series to the decider.