The Aces are not in their championship form right now. Not even close. Their last game at Michelob ULTRA Arena had fans excited. Why? Because it marked A’ja Wilson’s big return to the court after missing time in concussion protocol. But even with their MVP back, it still wasn’t enough. They lost to the Storm in a game that slipped away way too easily.
Now, here we are – three straight losses deep and seven total L’s on the season. And as they host the Indiana Fever (6-6) Sunday afternoon at the T-Mobile Arena, both teams are kinda limping into this one. We’re already almost a third of the way through the WNBA season, and neither of these squads expected to be treading water. But they’re hungry this time. So let’s break it down.
A’ja Wilson’s availability
Yes, A’ja Wilson is playing tonight. After taking a shot to the face from her former teammate Dearica Hamby in the game against the Sparks, Wilson entered concussion protocol and had to sit out for a bit. But thankfully, she’s back and looking solid.
She dropped a double-double in her return against the Storm, and she’s all set to go again tonight vs Indiana. However, the Aces will still be a little shorthanded. Megan Gustafson and Cheyenne Parker-Tyus are listed as “OUT.”
Oct 1, 2024; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson (22) celebrates after scoring in the fourth quarter against the New York Liberty during game two of the 2024 WNBA Semi-finals at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
As for the Fever, they’ll be without veteran DeWanna Bonner, who is still out for personal reasons.
Starting lineups
Aces
Chelsea Gray
Jackie Young
Jewell Loyd
A’ja Wilson
Kiah Stokes
Fever
Caitlin Clark
Kelsey Mitchell
Lexie Hull
Natasha Howard
Aliyah Boston
Will the slide stop? Aces look to end skid against Fever
Even with A’ja back, the Aces still couldn’t get it done. They lost to the Storm 90-83 in a game where Jackie Young dropped 22 and Wilson recorded yet another double-double. Offensively, their numbers looked fine – they shot 47.5% from the field. But the Storm had six more offensive boards and five fewer turnovers. That meant Vegas took ten fewer shots. And that made all the difference.
Their defense? It kinda vanished during clutch time, which has been happening way too often this season. Losing Kelsey Plum and Alysha Clark really messed with their two-way rhythm. Jewell Loyd, their newest weapon, is still figuring things out in this system. But she’s showing signs of life, so maybe there’s hope.
You know what really stood out, though? Rookie Aaliyah Nye. She came off the bench, played 24 minutes, locked in on defense, and dropped 13 points. She basically carried the team through the third quarter when things were falling apart. The Aces had an 11-point lead and somehow blew it, getting outscored 29-21.
May 23, 2025; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson (22), guard Jackie Young (0), guard Chelsea Gray (12), guard Dana Evans (11) and Jewell Loyd (24) celebrate defeating the Washington Mystics at Michelob Ultra Arena. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-Imagn Images
That quarter was a full-on mess. And despite leading 44-38 at halftime after digging out of an early 10-point hole, they just couldn’t keep it together. So there’s a good chance we’ll see more of Nye tonight. But the starters have to show up when it counts. Vegas has dominated Indiana in the past, winning 15 straight against the Fever since 2020. Overall, they’re 38-19 in this matchup and 19-10 at home.
But still… our prediction lies with the Indiana Fever this time.
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