The Las Vegas Aces didn’t imagine their dream run would find its break in the most crucial juncture of the league: the playoffs. Riding on a 17-game win streak, entering Game 2 didn’t feel like much of a task for the Aces, but the Seattle Storm had other plans. “I thought we played the first game a little hesitant. I was proud of the way we responded tonight,” said Skylar Diggins after leading the Seattle Storm to a win in Game 2 of the team’s ongoing playoff series against the Las Vegas Aces. But the Storm didn’t just win, but choked the best player on the other side by a margin!

After A’ja Wilson and Co. won Game 1 by a score of 102-77, aka a 25-point margin, they were the favourites going into Game 2. When the 3rd quarter came around, the Seattle Storm were down 14 points. In the end, Skylar Diggins and Nneka Ogwumike later put the score neck-to-neck, and helped the Storm win by a close margin. However, they weren’t the only MVPs of the night. A’ja Wilson, the star player of the Las Vegas Aces, went scoreless in the 4th quarter! When Seattle Storm head coach Noelle Quinn was asked about this, her response was “A lot of Dom.”

This was, of course, a reference to Dominique Malonga, the French basketball player who made her WNBA postseason debut through this recent Storm-Aces matchup. She had already made history when she stepped on the WNBA court, by becoming the second-youngest player in WNBA history to appear in a playoff game. She entered the matchup with 6:04 left in the 4th quarter, and scored 11 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 assists.

She was also stellar on the defensive front, as she refused to let A’ja Wilson get even one successful shot. The highlights shared by netizens on social media showed Malonga preventing Wilson from making a shot from inside the paint when the Aces were leading 79-70, Wilson being forced to pass the ball after Malonga wouldn’t let her get closer to the rim, and the Aces’ star missing a shot as less than a minute remained in the game. A shot that could have ensured the Aces won the game.

In the aftermath of the matchup, the 19-year-old was certainly getting her flowers from netizens. The same, unfortunately, cannot be said about the 3x MVP.

A’ja Wilson Gets Criticized Over Her 4th Quarter Performance: “low-key a little soft”

One social media user wrote, “A’ja Wilson low-key a little soft. I don’t like that passive s–t.” A’ja Wilson scored 21 points, 13 rebounds, and 5 assists in the 38 minutes she was on the court. She shot 7-12 (58.3%) field goals, 1-2 (50.0%) 3-pointers, and 6-11 (54.5%) free throws. She made attempts to keep the scoring on par with that of the Seattle Storm, but in the end, the latter reigned supreme.

One individual wrote, “Missed shots, missed free throws, A’JA WILSON CHOKES IN THE PLAYOFFS!!! Good night Vegas. Storm in 3!!!!” If there was one person who was openly disappointed with how things went in the 4th quarter, it was Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon. During a Q&A session, she openly admitted that “We just didn’t do a good job. We missed nine free throws, [committed] nine turnovers. … It’s a shame. I feel like we let that one go. Down the stretch, soft. Just, soft.”

Another social media user wrote, “Yea, nah… superstars don’t go out like that.. A’ja Wilson wild for that… and had the nerve to get in front of that camera saying she’d beat an nba starter 1 on 1..” The final 2 points that A’ja Wilson recorded were made through a 10-foot jumper that extended the Aces’ lead to 75-63. However, there were still 7:06 minutes left to go. The Seattle Storm made good use of that time by going on a 14-4 run, and took the score to 79-77 with 2:35 minutes remaining.

One individual wrote, “Cowardly performance by A’ja Wilson, Malonga was completely in her head.” As 39.4 seconds remained in the game, the Aces led by only 83-81. The ball was in Wilson’s hand. Only one defender, aka Malonga, stood ahead of her. Despite this, she faltered with her 16-foot jumper, missing a 2-pointer. To make matters worse, the Storm got the rebound and passed the ball until it got to Malonga, who had run to the other side of the court and was positioned not so far from the rim. She made the shot, and the score was tied 83-83.

One social media user wrote, “Season on the line and the 19-year-old checks in with six minutes left, holds A’ja Wilson scoreless, blocks two shots, dishes two assists and scores the go-ahead and-one late. I am moved!” From the looks of it, Dominique Malonga could just be the next best thing to be a part of the NBA.

Overall, the majority of reactions saw people united in criticizing A’ja Wilson. Fortunately, the playoffs are not over yet. The veteran still has a chance to prove herself. How she utilizes that chance is something that remains to be seen.