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Las Vegas Aces hold off Indiana Fever in overtime, advance to the WNBA Finals
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- Las Vegas Aces hold off Indiana Fever in overtime, advance to the WNBA Finals
The Indiana Fever's Cinderella run has officially come to an end.
The No. 2 seed Las Vegas Aces eliminated the No. 6 seed Fever from the WNBA playoffs on Tuesday with a 107-98 overtime win in Game 5 to clinch the semifinal series and advance to the WNBA Finals for the third time in four years.
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The Aces led by as many as nine points in Game 5, but the Fever outscored the Aces 23-15 in the fourth quarter to tie it up and force overtime, all without All-Star Kelsey Mitchell , who was ruled out in the third quarter after suffering severe cramps in her legs. The Fever were also without Aliyah Boston , who fouled out in the fourth quarter, for the extra period.
A'ja Wilson and Jackie Young carried the Aces in regulation, but overtime belonged to Chelsea Gray , who scored eight of her 17 points in the extra period, including back-to-back 3-pointers.
"It's not just one person, it's not just five people, it's everybody. Everybody you see contributed to this game… that's the same of a championship team," Aces center A'ja Wilson said. "We've worked so hard to get to this point. People counted all of us out, but we're making it to the Finals right now. We're not done."
Wilson finished with 35 points, seven rebounds, five assists, four steals and four blocks on Tuesday, becoming the first player in WNBA history to record 25-plus points, 3-plus blocks and 3-plus steals in consecutive games in the regular season or postseason. It was Wilson's eighth career 30-point playoff game, tying Breanna Stewart and Diana Taurasi for the most all time.
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Wilson (35) and Jackie Young (30) combined for 65 points, becoming the first pair of teammates to score 30-plus in the same game in WNBA playoff history.
Fever guard Odyssey Sims finished with 27 points in the loss.
End of regulation: Aces 86, Fever 86
The Indiana Fever may be down but they are not out. The Fever lost Kelsey Mitchell for the remainder of the game in the third quarter, but the Fever outscored the Aces 23-15 in the fourth quarter to force overtime.
Aces guard Jackie Young had a look at a game-winning layup, but missed the shot and a putback attempt.
A'ja Wilson (33) and Jackie Young (28) combined for 61 points, while the rest of the team scored 25 points.
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The Fever will be without Aliyah Boston, who fouled out in the fourth quarter. She exited with 11 points and 16 rebounds. Odyssey Sims has a team-high 23 points
End of 3Q: Aces 71, Fever 63
The Aces are 10 minutes away from their third trip to the WNBA Finals in four years.
A'ja Wilson (27 points) and Jackie Young (21 points) have combined for 48 of the Aces 71 points.
Kelsey Mitchell leads the Fever with 15 points, but was ruled out the remainder of the contest after going down with an injury. Odyssey Sims is up to 13 points, while Aliyah Boston has seven points, 13 rebounds and five personal fouls.
Kelsey Mitchell exits game with injury
Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell went down with an injury with 5:05 remaining in the third quarter as the Fever trailed the Aces, 59-55. Fever players surrounded Mitchell with towels as she laid on her back. Mitchell subsequently rolled over onto her stomach while team staff appeared to stretch her leg. The ESPN broadcast initially reported that Mitchell was suffering from a cramp, but a stretcher was then brought on the floor, signaling something more. Mitchell didn't get on the stretcher, but was carried to the locker room by team staff. She couldn't put any pressure on her left leg. Holly Rowe reported Mitchell is out for the remainder of the game.
Fever center Aliyah Boston in foul trouble
Aliyah Boston picked up her fifth personal foul with 5:05 remaining in the third quarter and Fever head coach Stephanie White subsequently pulled Boston from the game.
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Aces guard Chelsea Gray exits game with injury
Aces guard Chelsea Gray limped back to the locker room after turning her right ankle after Fever guard Odyssey Sims stepped on her foot with 8:15 remaining in the third quarter. Gray exited the game with seven points, shooting a perfect 3-of-3 from the field, in addition to four assists and one steal. Dana Evans entered the game for Gray, but Gray returned in the third quarter.
Halftime: Aces 47, Fever 45
Game 5 has been has close as it gets so far, with 11 lead changes and 14 ties in the first half alone. Neither team has led by more than five points at any time so far. The Aces have a two-point lead over the Fever heading into halftime.
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Aces center A'ja Wilson has a game-high 14 points, four rebounds, three assists, two blocks and one steal. Jackie Young has 12 points and Megan Gustafson added five points in nine minutes off the bench.
Kesley Mitchell scored 12 points in the first half, while Aliyah Boston is nearing a double-double with seven points and 11 rebounds, including four offensive rebounds. Odyssey Sims has nine points, while Lexie Hull is looking to get going from beyond the arc after going 0-of-4 from the 3-point line.
The Fever have been controlling the boards with 22 rebounds (eight offensive), compared to 10 rebounds (two offensive) for the Aces. Indiana, however, is up to 10 turnovers that have led to 11 points for the Aces.
DiJonai Carrington in the building
What happens in Las Vegas doesn't always stay in Las Vegas. Minnesota Lynx guard DiJonai Carrington was spotted courtside at Michelob ULTRA Arena fresh off the Lynx's playoff ousting on Sun day. Carrington is wearing a No. 3 NaLyssa Smith jersey, paired with a walking boot on her left foot. ( Carrington sat out the Lynx's semifinals series against the Phoenix Mercury with a significant mid-foot sprain.) Carrington and Smith were teammates on Dallas Wings earlier this season before Smith was traded to the Aces and Carrington was traded to the Lynx.
End of Q1: Fever 23, Aces 23
We're all tied up in the do-or-die Game 5.
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Aces center A'ja Wilson leads all scorers with eight points and two rebounds, while Jackie Young added seven points. Shey Peddy has given the Fever some huge minutes off the bench and scored a team-high seven points in the first quarter. Kelsey Mitchell is up to six points, while Aliyah Boston has four points and six rebounds.
Fever lead Aces early in winner-take-all game
Game 5 is underway at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas and the Fever have an early 11-9 lead over the Aces. Both teams appeared to have some early jitters and frequently turned over the ball. The Fever turned the ball over five times to start the first quarter, while the Aces are up to two turnovers.
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Kelsey Mitchell leads the Fever with five points, while Aliyah Boston has four points. The Fever are out-rebounding the Aces 10-2, including five offensive rebounds. Nine of the Fever's 11 points have come from second-chance opportunities.
Jackie Young has a team-high four points for the Aces, while A'ja Wilson has two points.
Shey Peddy stats
Indiana Fever guard Shey Peddy, 36, has averaged 5.2 points, 1.7 steals and 0.8 rebounds in nine regular season game with the Fever. Peddy had seven points, three rebounds and two steals in the Fever's Game 4 win over the Aces on Sunday.
Las Vegas Aces roster
| # |
NAME |
POS |
EXP |
HT |
COLLEGE |
| 0 |
G |
7 |
6' 0" |
Notre Dame |
|
| 1 |
F |
3 |
6' 1" |
Florida Gulf Coast |
|
| 3 |
F |
3 |
6' 4" |
Baylor |
|
| 11 |
G |
4 |
5' 6" |
Louisville |
|
| 12 |
G |
10 |
5' 11" |
Duke |
|
| 13 |
G |
Rookie |
6' 0" |
Alabama |
|
| 17 |
C |
6 |
6' 4" |
Iowa |
|
| 22 |
C |
7 |
6' 5" |
South Carolina |
|
| 24 |
G |
10 |
5' 11" |
Notre Dame |
|
| 32 |
F |
10 |
6' 4" |
Middle Tennessee State |
|
| 41 |
C |
10 |
6' 3" |
Indiana Fever roster
| # |
NAME |
POS |
EXP |
HT |
COLLEGE |
| 0 |
G |
7 |
5' 8" |
Ohio State |
|
| 1 |
G |
11 |
5' 8" |
Baylor |
|
| 2 |
G |
4 |
5' 6" |
Arizona |
|
| 3 |
G |
Rookie |
6' 0" |
South Carolina |
|
| 5 |
G |
7 |
5' 9" |
Temple |
|
| 6 |
F |
11 |
6' 3" |
Florida State |
|
| 7 |
C |
2 |
6' 5" |
South Carolina |
|
| 8 |
G |
6 |
6' 1" |
Missouri |
|
| 10 |
G |
3 |
6' 1" |
Stanford |
|
| 11 |
F |
6 |
6' 3" |
Notre Dame |
|
| 12 |
C |
11 |
6' 4" |
Brazil |
|
| 21 |
F |
Rookie |
6' 2" |
Florida State |
|
| 22 |
G |
1 |
6' 0" |
Iowa |
|
| 23 |
G |
9 |
6' 0" |
Michigan State |
|
| 51 |
G |
14 |
5' 8" |
Texas A&M |
|
| 55 |
F |
Rookie |
6' 2" |
Maryland |
What time is Fever vs. Aces Game 5?
Game 5 of the WNBA semifinals series between the No. 2 seed Las Vegas Aces and No. 6 seed Indiana Fever is scheduled to tip off at 9:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Sept. 30 at Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas.
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How to watch Fever vs. Aces in WNBA playoffs: TV, streaming for Game 5
-
Date: Tuesday, Sept. 30
-
Time: 9:30 p.m. ET
-
Location: Michelob Ultra Arena (Las Vegas)
-
TV: ESPN2
-
Stream: Fubo , ESPN Unlimited
Stream Fever-Aces series on Fubo (free trial)
Indiana Fever starting lineup
Head coach: Stephanie White
-
0 Kelsey Mitchell | G 5' 8" - Ohio State
-
1 Odyssey Sims | G 5' 8" - Baylor
-
6 Natasha Howard | F 6' 3" - Florida State
-
7 Aliyah Boston | C 6' 5" - South Carolina
-
10 Lexie Hull | G 6' 1" - Stanford
Is Caitlin Clark playing tonight? Indiana Fever injury report
Chloe Bibby (left knee), Caitlin Clark (right groin), Sydney Colson (left knee), Sophie Cunningham (right knee), Damiris Dantas (concussion protocol) and Aari McDonald (right foot) have all been ruled out for Game 5.
Las Vegas Aces starting lineup
Head coach: Becky Hammon
-
0 Jackie Young | G 6' 0" - Notre Dame
-
1 Kierstan Bell | F 6' 1" - Florida Gulf Coast
-
3 NaLyssa Smith | F 6' 4" - Baylor
-
12 Chelsea Gray | G 5' 11" - Duke
-
22 A'ja Wilson | C 6' 5" - South Carolina
WNBA MVP: A'ja Wilson wins for record fourth time
A'ja Wilson was named the WNBA's Most Valuable Player for the 2025 season. She is the first four-time MVP, besting three-time winners Sheryl Swoopes, Lisa Leslie and Lauren Jackson.
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Wilson received 51 of 72 first-place votes and 21 second-place votes (657 points) from a national panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. The Las Vegas Aces center won the award over finalists Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier (534), Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas (391), Atlanta Dream guard Allisha Gray (180) and Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell (93).
Caitlin Clark injury timeline
-
May 24: Clark suffered a left quad injury during the Fever's 90-88 loss to the New York Liberty , where she recorded a double-double with 18 points and 10 assists. Clark couldn't pinpoint the specific play that caused her injury, but noted that it happened early in the contest. Clark said, "Adrenaline covers up a lot of stuff when you're in the heat of battle. After the game, I had some pain, and then we got an MRI, and that kind of gave me the result that I didn't want to see." She missed the Fever's next five games.
-
June 14: Clark returned to Indiana's lineup in the Fever's 102-88 win over the Liberty and dropped 32 points, nine assists and eight rebounds in her first game back.
-
June 24: Clark suffered a left groin injury in the Fever's 94-86 win over the Seattle Storm , which resulted in Clark missing the team's next four games. Fever coach Stephanie White said she learned of Clark's groin injury the following night after Clark alerted team trainers of discomfort.
-
July 1: Clark was ruled out of the Fever's 2025 Commissioner's Cup win over the Minnesota Lynx in Minneapolis. That didn't stop Clark from rightfully celebrating the team's hardware .
-
July 9: Clark returned to the Fever's lineup in the Fever's 80-61 loss to the Golden State Valkyries. Clark was limited to 10 points, shooting 4 of 12 from the field and 2 of 5 from the 3-point line, and had six assists, five rebounds and four turnovers. Following the blowout loss, Clark said it was "going to take me a second to get my wind back. ... Just trying to get my legs under me."
-
July 15: Clark suffered a right groin injury in the final minute of the Fever's 85-77 victory over the Sun at TD Garden in Boston. White later confirmed Clark "felt a little something in her groin." This marked the last game for which Clark suited up.
-
July 18: Clark announced that she would sit out the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game in Indianapolis, where she was named a team captain. Clark was also set to participate in the 3-point contest. She said, "I am incredibly sad and disappointed to say I can't participate ... I have to rest my body."
-
July 24: The Fever said Clark's medical evaluations confirmed there's "no additional injuries or damage," but the team said it will be cautious with Clark's rehab and recovery.
-
Aug. 7: Clark reportedly suffered a mild bone bruise in her left ankle during an individual workout session in Phoenix, according to The Indianapolis Star , part of the USA TODAY Network.
-
Aug. 8: During an appearance on Sue Bird's podcast, "Bird's Eye View," Clark spoke about the frustrations of her injury-filled season: "It's not like I have a training camp to build up to play in my first game again. It's like no, you're tossed into Game 30 — like, 'Go try to play well.' It's hard, it really is."
-
Aug. 10: Fever coach Stephanie White said Clark has progressed in her recovery and has started running full court again, but Clark hasn't returned to practice just yet: an important step in her ramp-up. "She's been able to get a little bit more in her full-court running with all of her body weight. ... She's been able to do a little more on the court in terms of how she moves, but not into practice yet," White said.
-
Aug. 20: White confirmed that Clark has not returned to practice yet.
-
Aug. 24: Clark participated in a team shootaround and went through some non-contact drills with the second team, marking her first time practicing with the team since suffering a right groin injury on July 15.
-
Sept. 4: Clark shared a post on her official X account, stating that she will miss the rest of the regular season and any potential postseason action.
Kelsey Mitchell has been carrying the Indiana Fever — it's time everyone noticed
In a tumultuous season defined by injuries and resilience, Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell has remained a constant.
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Mitchell has, in fact, been a constant for the Fever organization ever since she was drafted No. 2 overall out of Ohio State in 2018. She's endured ups and downs during her eight-year career in Indiana, including six losing seasons and five different head coaches, enough turmoil to send any top pick packing.
But Mitchell never bailed and the 29-year-old is now leading the Fever's improbable postseason charge.
"There have been multiple times this season where (Mitchell) has put us on her back and she's carried us," Indiana head coach Stephanie White said on Sunday after the Fever upset the Las Vegas Aces 89-73 to steal Game 1 of the WNBA playoff semifinals behind Mitchell's 34-point performance. Full story here .
2025 WNBA Finals schedule
*if necessary
| Date |
Game |
M |
Time (ET) |
TV Channel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, Oct. 3 |
1 |
Mercury at Aces |
8:00PM |
ESPN |
| Sun, Oct. 5 |
2 |
Mercury at Aces |
3:00PM |
ABC |
| Wed, Oct. 8 |
3 |
Aces at Mercury |
8:00PM |
ESPN |
| Fri, Oct. 10 |
4 |
Aces at Mercury |
8:00PM |
ESPN |
| Sun, Oct. 12 |
5* |
Mercury at Aces |
3:00PM |
ABC |
| Wed, Oct. 15 |
6* |
Aces at Mercury |
8:00PM |
ESPN |
| Fri, Oct. 17 |
7* |
Mercury at Aces |
8:00PM |
ESPN |
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Aces hold off Fever in overtime, advance to the WNBA Finals
