The WNBA Playoffs kicked off on Sunday with eight teams battling it out for the championship title. The excitement was building as the regular season was winding down and the time is finally here to see who’s taking it all the way to the Finals this season.
The Las Vegas Aces, the No. 3 seed, and Indiana Fever, No. 6 seed, played in front of a full house in Vegas on Sunday afternoon. The Aces are chasing their fourth WNBA title in five years. The opening round in the Playoffs is a best-of-three series, with the Aces and Fever facing each other for Game 2 in Indiana on Tuesday night.
As one might expect with the playoffs, the game was a complete Vegas spectacle with a live musical performance by 702 and appearances by Vegas’ own Blue Man Group.
What Teams Are In The WNBA Playoffs?
For the first round of playoffs, the Minnesota Lynx will be facing the New York Liberty, Golden State Valkyries play the Dallas Wings, Atlanta Dream will take on the Washington Mystics, and Indiana Fever battle the Las Vegas Aces.
All eight teams started their playoff journey on Sunday with a Game 2 scheduled for Aces and Fever and Lynx and Liberty matchups on Tuesday, and Valkyries and Wings and Dream and Mystics on Wednesday.
If a Game 3 is needed, they are scheduled on Thursday for Fever vs. Aces and Liberty vs. Lynx, and on Friday for Wings vs. Valkyries and Mystics vs. Dream.
The Aces Beat The Fever 102-85 In Game 1 Of Playoffs
Sunday’s game was only the second time these two franchises battled it out in the playoffs. The first time was in the 2025 semifinals, when the series went a full five games. The Aces came out on top, winning the series 3-2.
The Aces took the win on Sunday, 102-85. A’ja Wilson led the team to victory with 38 points, 16 rebounds, 4 blocks, and 2 steals. According to USA Today, Wilson is the first player in league history to record at least 30 points and 15 rebounds in multiple playoff games. This game also served as Wilson’s 11th career 30-point playoff game, which now extends her lead for the most in WNBA playoff history.
Jackie Young finished the game with 21 points, 10 assists, and 3 steals. Chelsea Gray added 14 points, 8 assists, and 5 rebounds.
For the Fever, Aliyah Boston scored 18 points, Caitlin Clark had 15, and Kelsey Mitchell finished with 12.
702 Performed At Halftime And Blue Man Group Entertained During The Game
In between quarters and during time outs, the energy stayed high with some entertainment and contests that involved Blue Man Group. If that wasn’t enough, popular 90s girl group 702 performed the halftime show.
Blue Man Group was seen taking pics with fans, helping out with contests during breaks in the game, and having a grand old time (without even uttering a word).
702, the girl group that started out as Sweeter than Sugar in 1993 in Las Vegas, hit the court at halftime with two of their hit songs. “Where My Girls At?” got everyone up to dance and sing along.
A’ja Wilson Earned WNBA Record-Tying 33rd WNBA Player Of The Week Honor And AP Player Of The Year
For the fifth time this WNBA season, Wilson is the Player of the Week.
According to a press release sent to The Blast, “Leading M’VP candidate A’ja Wilson, who averaged a league-high 27.8 points in leading the Las Vegas Aces to a 4-0 record after the World Cup break, earned a WNBA record-tying 33rd Player of the Week honor for games played from Sept. 17-24. It was her fifth Western Conference Player of the Week award this season.”
Fans took to the comments of the Aces IG post to share their thoughts.
“Somebody call Bey to deliver the 5th trophy,” one fan wrote. Another added, “& if you wanna be MVP, you gonna have to be better than A’ja Wilson!” One other person wrote, “Run my girl her 5th MVP trophy!”
On Sunday morning, the AP announced that Wilson won the AP’s WNBA Player of the Year award for the third straight year.
According to the AP, “Wilson received 15 of the 17 first-place votes from a national media panel Sunday.” She topped Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell of the Indiana Fever and Olivia Miles of the Minnesota Lynx.
“It’s big. It’s an honor for me to do it three times in a row. It’s not easy,” Wilson said in a phone interview with the AP. “My counterparts in this league are really good. I don’t take it lightly because of how much talent we do have in this league.”
This is Wilson’s fourth time winning the AP award, breaking a tie with Breanna Stewart for the most.
Next Up For The Aces
The best-of-three series continues in Indiana on Tuesday night. If a Game 3 is needed, they’ll head back to Vegas for a Thursday night game.
For full schedule, visit the Aces website.
