A’ja Wilson delivered a dominant opening statement to the 2026 WNBA playoffs, pouring in 38 points, 16 rebounds and four blocks as the Las Vegas Aces defeated the Indiana Fever 102-85 in Game 1 of their first-round series Sunday. Wilson’s 38 points matched her career postseason high.
The performance came just hours after Wilson was named the Associated Press WNBA Player of the Year for a third consecutive season. Las Vegas, the No. 3 seed, led 62-47 at halftime and stretched the advantage to as many as 27 points.
Jackie Young added 21 points and 10 assists, while Chelsea Gray finished with 14 points and eight assists. Gray also moved into second place on the WNBA's all-time playoff assists list, passing Courtney Vandersloot with 397 career playoff assists.
Indiana got 18 points and eight rebounds from Aliyah Boston, while Caitlin Clark finished with 15 points and 10 assists. Kelsey Mitchell scored 12. The Fever will host Game 2 Tuesday, with Indiana needing a victory to force a decisive Game 3 in Las Vegas.
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