When you play like WNBA superstar A’ja Wilson, you expect nothing less than 110 percent from your teammates at all times. In Game 1 of the WNBA Finals, the Las Vegas Aces barely got past the Connecticut Sun, winning by three points. Yet despite getting the victory, this wasn’t enough for A’ja.
According to ESPN, after the game, Wilson went to teammate Kelsey Plum and “told her she needed to get her shit together.” Apparently, the Aces guard got the message, dropping 20 points in the team’s dominant 85-71 Game 2 win.
“A lot of times, I’m hard on myself, and I feel like I’ve been a little bit frustrated with how I’ve performed throughout the whole playoffs,” Plum said. “I’m glad that they have been carrying it, and I decided to join the party.”
Despite averaging 20 points per game in the regular season, Plum has been unexpectedly quiet during the playoffs, making only 39 percent of her shots.
“I feel like in years past, I might have dropped my head and just gone deeper into a hole,” she added. “But through a lot of the things that I’ve been through throughout the years, it’s just taught me that I’m always going to bounce back, and I know that about myself and just going to keep shooting.”
As good as Wilson and Plum were in Game 2, the Aces’ best postseason weapon has been point guard Chelsea Gray. In addition to the way she facilitates play for others, she also had 21 points and eight assists, her fifth playoff game with at least 20 points and five assists.
“Chelsea Gray makes contested shots. She makes incredibly difficult contested shots,” Sun coach Curt Miller said. “It’s just really separating her right now.”
It’s true. No matter who’s defending her or what’s happening on the play, Gray seems to find a way to hit crucial shots when Las Vegas needs them most. If Vegas wins the title, which it looks like they will, Chelsea needs to be a serious contender for Finals MVP.
Keep in mind that Connecticut is not playing badly, it’s just that the Aces are just on another level right now. They’ve been the best team all season and they’re proving it in the playoffs.
Game 3 of the WNBA Finals airs Thursday, Sept. 15 at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN.