Not many expected Game 1 between the Las Vegas Aces and Seattle Storm to come down to the final five minutes. Predictions quickly vanished as the Seattle stormed ahead, holding a four-point lead by halftime. Yet, the Aces managed to turn the tide, largely due to A’ja Wilson’s timely shift in intensity. However, both, head coach Becky Hammon and Wilson herself, seem to have figured out what actually turned this game into such a hard-fought battle.

Just moments after the final buzzer, the Aces sent their representatives for the post-game conference. HC Hammon, MVP Wilson, and the game savior Tiffany Hayes took the stage to discuss their hard-fought victory. “Our defense sucked in the first half and I thought it was amazing in the second half. It is what it is and you know, we know also it helps our offense that’s the biggest thing. It – when we don’t have to go against a set defense for uh 20 minutes that helps,” Hammon spoke about the team’s performance.

The Storm completely took control in the first half, leaving little room for the Aces to close the gap. They jumped ahead early, finishing the first quarter with a nine-point lead. Although the defending champions managed to briefly tie the game in the second quarter, they still found themselves trailing as they headed into the second half. It was in the third quarter that Hammon’s squad shifted gears, with the 3x MVP stepping up her game and sparking a change in momentum.

The Aces HC also reflected on the comeback, “So you know when we really got out was when these guys were out running and pushing and playing out of our offense. That’s when we really started kind of cooking and start to get a separation. Well, first of all, climb back into the lead and then get some separation.” In the final quarter, the Aces took control, dominating the Storm with a staggering 14-2 run, sealing the game with a final score of 78-67 in their favor.

Not just the coach, but the unanimous MVP Wilson, who struggled in the first half, also shared her thoughts on the challenging battle.

A’ja Wilson’s comments on the game as she led the charge for Las Vegas

The 28-year-old forward for the Aces, fresh off being named the league’s MVP for the third time after a record-breaking season, entered the game with high expectations. Everyone was eager to see her asserting dominance from the very start. However, things didn’t go as planned for Wilson as she managed to score just four points in the first half, hitting only one of her eight field goal attempts.

She also shared her thoughts on the game and reinforced Hammon’s belief. “Like Becky was saying I think we overanalyzed a lot of stuff because we were just waiting, waiting and then it caused us not to just dictate actions and we were just being, just reacting,” said Wilson who completely changed gear in the third quarter, scoring an impressive 15 points, including a pivotal three-pointer.

The 3x MVP wrapped up the game with an impressive 21 points and eight rebounds, leading all scorers. “We have to just stay within our system and our identity and trust that it’s going to get us the win and trust one another and I think that’s what you saw tonight is like we didn’t fold we didn’t look at each other,” stated A’ja Wilson.

As the Aces gear up for Game 2 on September 25, they will be focused on delivering an even stronger performance. Their goal? To sweep the Storm and continue their pursuit of a three-peat.