The Las Vegas Aces responded nicely after getting dominated in Game 1. Las Vegas beat Indiana 90-68 in Game 2, tying the series up at one game each. The Aces' coaching staff made it a priority to respond strong after Game 1, and the players responded with a 22-point victory.
Aces head coach Becky Hammon wanted her team to be “a little feisty” in Game 2 against the Fever.
“If there's one thing that the playoffs are, it's rough,” Hammon said, per ESPN's Alexa Philippou. “… You can't tiptoe into a bar fight.”
Hammon noted that she felt her players came into Tuesday's game prepared and ready to play a physical game.
It helped that A'ja Wilson looked like an MVP in Game 2. She was quiet in Game 1, but exploded for 25 points, nine rebounds, five steals, and two blocks on Tuesday night.
Wilson admitted that she was embarrassed by her team's performance on Sunday against the Fever.
“I just think we came to work,” Wilson said. “We didn't come to work in Game 1, and that's on all of us. And I think Game 2, we just decided to come to work.”
Becky Hammon called physicality in Game 2 “out of control”
Hammon also highlighted how physical the series has been so far.
“I mean, you can bump and grab a wide receiver in the NFL for those first five yards, but you can do it in the W for the whole half court,” Hammon said. “You put two hands on somebody like that, it should be an automatic foul. The freedom of movement, there's no freedom. And I'm not saying that we're not fouling, too, not saying that. I'm saying it's out of control.”
Game 2 featured 41 fouls, an uptick from 27 fouls in Game 1. Hammon had similar comments during the Fever's playoff series against the Dream.
“Most of my assistants come from the NBA, and they're like, ‘This would not fly in the NBA. … There'd be fights.' We just have very well-mannered women that can get to the next play,” Hammon concluded.
Fever head coach Stephanie White also critiqued the officiating after Game 2, a theme that has carried through the entire season. It will be something to watch throughout the rest of this series.
Now the series will move to Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis for the next two games.
Game 3 against the Fever will tip off at 7:30PM ET on Friday.
