Indiana Fever Run Aces Off the Floor in Game 1: Hammon Admits Mitchell, Pace Were Unstoppable
The bright lights of Michelob ULTRA Arena were supposed to shine on A’ja Wilson’s fourth MVP coronation. Instead, the night belonged to Kelsey Mitchell, who delivered the playoff performance of her career. With 34 points, Mitchell led the Indiana Fever past the defending champion Las Vegas Aces in Game 1, exposing defensive gaps and pushing the tempo beyond anything Becky Hammon’s squad could handle.
For Hammon, the loss was as humbling as it was eye-opening. Addressing reporters afterward, the Aces’ head coach admitted her team had no answers. “We couldn’t keep up with their pace,” she said bluntly. “I mean, clearly we had no way to deal with Mitchell. We couldn’t even slow her down a little bit.” Wilson’s subdued 16-point outing certainly contributed to the Aces’ stumble on their home floor, but Hammon’s candor put the focus squarely on Indiana’s speed and relentless transition game.
That assessment was validated by Odyssey Sims, who quietly posted 17 points while anchoring the Fever backcourt alongside Caitlin Clark. Speaking in the postgame press conference, Sims highlighted what has been Indiana’s hidden strength all season. “I think we’re one of the hardest teams to scout when we play at that speed,” Sims explained. “Coach always tells me about that—making sure we’re pushing. But it’s not just about speed. When you’re attacking more, it’s really hard to stop.”
The Fever entered the postseason as the sixth seed, a ranking that reflected early struggles with roster changes and backcourt instability. Yet through all the turbulence, head coach Stephanie White never wavered in her philosophy: emphasize pace, trust the guards, and punish defenses by constantly attacking. Against the Aces, that approach paid off in spectacular fashion.
“And mainly it’s me and Kelsey because we’re in most of the pick-and-rolls,” Sims continued. “But it opens up so much space. We draw attention when we come off the screens, but we also have great teammates to kick it to. Like I said, we don’t want to just stay on the perimeter—we want to keep attacking. But we also have kick-outs, drop passes, high-lows with AB. Just spread it out.”
The numbers back up Sims’ point. Indiana relentlessly attacked the paint, with 76.5 percent of their three-point attempts coming from inside-out action that forced Las Vegas into rotations they couldn’t recover from. Even Aliyah Boston, better known for her inside scoring than her passing, has quietly developed into a facilitator. She finished the season averaging 3.7 assists, a testament to Indiana’s broader emphasis on ball movement.
That philosophy was on full display in Game 1. The Fever racked up 15 fast-break points, consistently turning defensive rebounds into quick strikes before the Aces could get set. They also capitalized on Las Vegas turnovers, converting them into 13 points—11 of which came directly from Mitchell. The veteran guard became the first Fever player to score more than 30 points in a playoff game since 2012, cementing her status as the offensive engine of this postseason run.
What stood out most was the balance between Mitchell’s individual shot-making and the team’s overall cohesion. Yes, Mitchell hit tough jumpers and carved her way to the rim, but many of her looks came off crisp passes and decisive ball movement. She finished 12-for-23 from the field, a line that underscored efficiency as much as volume.
The question, though, is why Indiana has committed so fully to this identity. Part of it lies in maximizing personnel. With Clark stretching defenses with her range, Sims and Mitchell exploiting gaps off the dribble, and Boston commanding attention inside, the Fever have the pieces to run opponents ragged. More importantly, White has instilled a collective belief: that attacking at pace not only creates opportunities, but it wears opponents down physically and mentally.
As the Fever prepare for Game 2 on Tuesday, Hammon and the Aces must find adjustments quickly. Wilson will need a bounce-back performance, but more critically, Las Vegas must solve Indiana’s tempo. Otherwise, the defending champs risk watching this series slip away at the very speed they could not match in Game 1.
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