And the magic of the playoffs continue with another team using a game 1 loss as a springboard to a better game 2. And A’ja Wilson made sure she played her cards right this time around as the complexion has changed this game. All in a day’s work from one of the most dominant players of the WNBA.
“I told my team yesterday that the loss yesterday was more embarrassing to me than the 53-point loss (to Minnesota) because we really didn’t do anything,” Wilson said. “We didn’t do our job, so if we come to work and do our job, it’s a different story.”
With every hard-fought basket comes her presence. And it lingers just enough to have a ripple effect with the rest of her team as they took this game and owned it. Chelsea Gray noticed the shift, saying: “She’s communicating and talking a lot more in huddles and meetings and organizing us, little things on scouting reports during practice. She’s just a lot more vocal, which is a step that she wanted and needed to take.”
There is still a long way to go at this stage, but it is most certainly game on now. A’ja Wilson has already shifted up a gear and turned her dials up a notch as she has been taking the lead with her numbers. And to add that her regained aura has trickled down to the rest of her team through her voice and her leadership. Game 2 was proof that when she’s locked in, the Aces take on a completely different edge.
A’ja Wilson Reflects On Bounce-Back Win After Game 1 “Wakeup Call”
After the Aces flipped the script in Game 2, A’ja Wilson explained how the team adjusted from a flat opening performance.
“I don’t know if necessarily it’s a wakeup call. I just think we came to work. We didn’t come to work on game one, and that’s on all of us. And I think game two, we just decided to come to work, and when we do that and we do it the right way and we play the right way, good things happen,” Wilson expressed (2:55 mark).
Her words highlighted a simple truth: focus and effort make the difference. Wilson framed it less as a shock and more as a conscious choice. By showing up prepared and executing, the Aces proved they could reset quickly.
For Wilson, it was about accountability and leadership. For the rest of the league, it was a reminder that Las Vegas still has the firepower to dominate once their leader sets the tone.
For more basketball content, click on Hardwood Heroics. Sabel Reyes can be reached through sabelreyes22@gmail.com. Other websites under the Sports Heroics umbrella are Gridiron Heroics and Wisconsin Heroics.
Sabel has been working as a field reporter for People’s Television Network (PTV), mainly about the Philippine Basketball Association since 2016 and has been elevated to Executive Producer for sports in 2022. Aside from being on top of the Philippine sports scene, she is also a running enthusiast. You can also follow her on X at @SabelReyes2 and Instagram at @msabelreyes.
