Aliyah Boston – A’ja Wilson rivalry hits new level as Aces, Fever ready for Game 5 originally appeared on The Sporting News
It all comes down to this for the Indiana Fever and the Las Vegas Aces. Tuesday night will see a winner-take-all Game 5 in the WNBA semifinals, where the second-seeded Aces will host the sixth-seeded Fever — both sides hoping to reach the WNBA Finals against the #4 seed Phoenix Mercury.
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Game 4 on Sunday saw the Fever keep their season alive with a 90-83 win over the Aces at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Indiana showed its toughness and resilience one more time, withstanding A’ja Wilson’s 31-point, nine-rebound display to force the decisive fifth game of this series back at Michelob ULTRA Arena — where the Fever claimed Game 1.
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This semifinal series has been defined by its physicality, especially the matchup between four-time MVP Wilson and Fever center Aliyah Boston. The South Carolina products have battled in the post for four games, and Wilson’s agitation with Boston — and the referees — nearly reached a boiling point on Sunday.
Wilson previously has taken exception with Boston, calling her out for flopping during a matchup in June and staring Boston down while she sat on the court in Game 3. Wilson claimed that Boston complained of the Aces superstar’s “special whistle” in Game 3, which she believes led to Boston shooting 13 free throws in Game 4; the Aces, as a team, attempted 11 free throws on Sunday.
The 34-11 free-throw disparity between the two teams has been cited as a key reason why the Fever won Game 4, but that would do a disservice to Boston’s individual excellence.
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In her third WNBA season, Boston has emerged as a complete threat. In Sunday’s must-win game, the three-time All-Star notched 24 points, 14 rebounds and five assists — draining a key floater over Wilson in the dying minutes of Game 4 as Indiana held on to win.
And so, the showdown between Boston and Wilson will have one last chapter — for 2025, at least — on Tuesday night in Las Vegas, with a berth in the Finals on the line.
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