By hook or by crook, the Aces are in the semifinals. The Seattle Storm in Round 1 were anything but easy. Even though the Aces opened with a blowout win, the Storm quickly bounced back, taking Game 2 with an 86-83 victory. Game 3 went down to the wire, and A’ja Wilson carried the Aces in every clutch moment. She hit almost every big shot the team needed in their 74-73, series-clinching win, scoring a playoff career high of 38 points… Next, they face the Indiana Fever, another team riding high.

The Aces’ chances in Game 3 were a closed chapter if Jackie Young wasn’t ready. With the Aces down by one and just 15.1 seconds remaining, Wilson rose for a face-up jump shot, but it bounced off the rim. But Young soared, snatched the rebound mid-air, and released it before landing, giving the Aces the lead with 12.4 seconds left. The truth is, given how the Aces stormed into the playoffs, no one expected their series against the Storm to go all the way to a nail-biting Game 3. Now, their next challenge could be even tougher: the Indiana Fever. A’ja Wilson was quick to call out the player who’s been the heartbeat of the Fever in Clark’s absence.

“Our biggest one is just going to be containing the basketball without fouling. I mean, Kelsey Mitchell’s having one heck of a year and, uh, it’s going to be hard to slow her down, but it’s not going to be just me and Jackie. It’s going to have to take all of us on the defensive end. And that’s what we’re going to have to really lock in on — just playing defense the right way and being on time and having layers to it. That’s what’s going to be my initial thought, and I’m sure Becky will probably say the same.” A’ja said, when asked about the prospect of facing the Fever in the new 2-2-1 semifinals format. And she isn’t wrong.

Kelsey Mitchell has been the showstopper for the Fever this season. The eight-year veteran is having the best season of her career, averaging 20.2 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game while playing all 44 games, averaging 31.4 minutes per outing, in a year when Indiana’s roster has been ravaged by injuries, losing the likes of Caitlin Clark, Sophie Cunningham, and more. She also became the first player this season to hit 100 three-pointers and only the first in WNBA history to achieve that milestone three times.

And the Aces know all too well what they’re up against. The last time these two teams met, it was Mitchell’s 21 points that made all the difference, helping the Fever to an 80-70 win without Caitlin Clark on the floor. Credit to Mitchell, she’s kept up her stellar form in the playoffs as well. Across three games against the Dream this postseason, she’s racked up 70 points, averaging roughly 23 points per game. But history has shown that Mitchell can be slowed when teams defend her as a unit.

In their recent clash with the Valkyries, she was held to just 14 points on 4-of-14 shooting from the field and 2-of-10 from beyond the arc. Thanks to the relentless defense of Veronica Burton, Kalia Charles, and the rest of the Valkyries’ side, that’s exactly the blueprint A’ja Wilson and the Aces want to follow. Shut Mitchell down, and they dramatically improve their chances of reaching the finals.

The Aces won’t be morally down because, considering they stumbled out of the gate with seven losses in their first twelve games, it seemed almost impossible. But A’ja Wilson refused to let that define the season. Leading from the front, she carried the team through an extraordinary 16-game winning streak to close out the regular season, dominating in win shares, on/off rating, and defensive rebounds. The playoffs followed a similar story. That said, A’ja herself continues to perform at such a high level that the Fever will be equally worried about going up against her.

A’ja Wilson continues to shine

Ahead of Game 3 against the Storm, A’ja Wilson was named WNBA Defensive Player of the Year on Thursday. This was her third time winning the award in four seasons, this time sharing it with Alanna Smith of the Minnesota Lynx (This is the first time that the award has been shared). The honor was well deserved, as Wilson led the league:

• Led the WNBA in blocks per game (2.3)
• Led in total rebounds (407)
• Led in defensive rebounds (316)
• Led in combined steals + blocks (156)
• Ranked 2nd in total blocks (92)
• Ranked 2nd in rebounds per game (10.2)
• Ranked 3rd in total steals (64)
• Ranked 4th in steals per game (1.6)

Wilson showed exactly why she earned Defensive Player of the Year in Game 3, as her late contest against Erica Wheeler with just five seconds left prevented the Storm guard from converting an open shot, sealing the win for the Aces. Wilson finished the game with a career-high 38 points, along with 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocks.

It’ll be fascinating to see how these two teams clash, with the head-to-head record this season hanging in the balance. Watching A’ja go blow for blow with Kelsey Mitchell is definitely on our must-see list, and this game promises to be pure basketball cinema. What about you? Who do you see coming out on top? Let us know in the comments down below!