When NaLyssa Smith picked up her fourth foul early in the third quarter of Game 2, most coaches would have benched her. But not Becky Hammon. “I left her in because I needed to play her,” she revealed after the game. And it paid off. Smith poured in five points, pushing the Aces’ lead to 59-44. But that was not it….her dominance carried seamlessly into Game 3. Now, even Indy’s HC couldn’t ignore her impact!

As Lyss entered Indy’s homecourt, she ensured to leave a mark. She registered 16 points on 8 of 13 from the floor while adding four rebounds, a steal, and four blocks in 33 minutes of game play. And, this was how a 6’4 forward defeated her former team, prompting a reaction from White. “She’s been physical…She’s done a good job of really imposing her will and being physical in her matchup, attacking the paint, being aggressive,” she said. 

So, yes, she’s really been aggressive, and White’s acknowledgment of her dominance highlights the challenges Indy’s gotta face. We saw her making impressive-looking passes, stunning blocks, and layups.

And it started right from the jump. At the 8:28 mark in the first quarter, with Aces up by 5, Chelsea Gray fed NaLyssa Smith on the block. Already sealed deep in the paint, Smith powered through for a layup. Just about a minute later, at 7:11, she went right back to work—same setup, same result.

But, she wasn’t done yet. Early in the second quarter, with 9:09 on the clock, Gray threw a lob over the defense. Smith elevated, hauled it in, and finished the roll with another bucket. Her presence kept punishing Indiana. Then came the spotlight, at 6:06 in the second, Smith caught a long entry pass on the wing. She then battled Natasha Howard one-on-one and still muscled in the shot. And, possession after possession, Smith kept carving out space and finishing through contact, forcing the Fever to pay for every defensive lapse.

As Smith explained postgame, “We know how important defense is for us, that’s something we’ve been really dialed into… When our defense is on, our offense is 10 times better.”And yes, that was a part of how LV Aces’ eight steals and ten blocks helped in beating Indy 84-72. With her performance today, Smith proved that the Aces can get through without relying on A’ja Wilson, who scored 13 points on 6-of-20 shooting.

Lyss’ journey from career lows to playoff glows!

Just a season ago, NaLyssa Smith was coming off a then career-low 10.6 points per game with Indiana. The offseason saw her traded to the Dallas Wings, and soon after, she moved to the Las Vegas Aces. While her regular-season scoring has dipped, her overall impact has clearly elevated. The turning point? Film study and playing alongside four-time WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson. “You have to lock in on a different level and don’t want to make those little mistakes because that’s where it’s going to cost you,” Smith explained after Game 2.

And, yes, so far, in the postseason, she’s been averaging 9.7 points with 5.7 rebounds and 0.7 assists. Even Aliyah Boston noted the challenge of containing her, “Her offensive rebounding—she had a few that gave them second-chance points and got herself to the free-throw line… We have to tighten down on that and box out, because obviously she’s super athletic and does a great job getting to the glass.”

Well, coming from a player defending A’ja, who limited the MVP to 16 points during Game 1, it’s huge. But, honestly, Smith deserved it. But the deal is not done just yet; they’ve got an edge with 2-1, but they still need to grab another win to book a spot in the finals this season.