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00:00ЛС, Шианн, Паркер, Тиас.
00:02The Fever have Ty Harris
00:03in the lineup tonight for
00:05Clark. Тиас, he's in high
00:0716 points in 30 minutes
00:09in their game a week ago.
00:12Quick turnaround
00:13for Vegas. They were an overtime winner
00:15against Chicago here on Friday
00:18night. Their last
00:19game before a week off
00:21as we inch closer
00:23to All-Star Weekend.
00:27Packed house here on the Vegas Strip.
00:30For two explosive
00:31offenses.
00:33And underway with Kelsey Mitchell.
00:36And it will be
00:37Jewel Lloyd initially with the
00:39defensive assignment.
00:42The skip
00:43to Aaliyah Boston. She has added
00:45that outside shot to her
00:47repertoire this season and now she'll get
00:49a touch in the paint. Immediately
00:51doubled and she loses it. Well she needs
00:53to establish her play on the interior
00:55first and she's not a corner three-point
00:57shooter. She's more capable of scoring
00:59in the trail or in the slots
01:01from three. And she is very capable
01:03from three.
01:06Here's Chelsea Gray. Part of that
01:07Olympic backcourt alongside
01:09Jackie Young.
01:12Off the hesitation.
01:13Steps to her left. Comes up a bit short.
01:15Mitchell had a hand at her face.
01:17Good help on the hedge by Boston.
01:21Hull with the
01:21hesitation and gets to the right side
01:23of the rim. The one thing Lexi Hull will do
01:25consistently for Indiana is sprint
01:27back to the corner. She is excellent
01:29at running the floor ahead of the basketball.
01:35Three-pointer is good
01:36from Jackie Young.
01:39In her eighth season out of
01:41Notre Dame.
01:43Getting the most shots of her
01:45career this year Debbie and making
01:47the most of the attempts.
01:48She is so improved from three
01:51and not afraid to pull it in transition
01:53or off the screen or behind
01:55the screen. Gray rebounds
01:57to Mitchell Miss.
02:01Inside and a reach
02:03in foul going to be called on
02:04Monique Billings.
02:06Watch the work by Jackie Young
02:08right here. A little space.
02:10Melissa Smith does a nice job
02:12of helping on the top of the floor
02:14create that space.
02:16And Lexi Hull just late with the contest.
02:19Jackie shooting 42%
02:21from downtown in the last
02:23six weeks.
02:24You know Beth
02:25Jackie Young played with a lot
02:28of on-ball screens.
02:29Now she's at a point in her career
02:32and her skill set that she doesn't
02:34need a screen. She doesn't want you
02:35to bring two to the ball.
02:36She is very capable of going
02:37on a one-on-one and getting to the rim.
02:42Parker Tyus gets the second to go
02:45and a 5-2 start for Vegas.
02:50Here come the Fever
02:52averaging over 93 points per game.
02:55That is on pace to set a new
02:58WNBA single season record.
03:01Vegas not far behind at 90 a night
03:04and a missed layup there
03:06from Billings.
03:08You got to make sure you get
03:09back in transition.
03:12Attacking in the lane.
03:13Parker Tyus off the window.
03:15They're going right after
03:16Aaliyah Boston.
03:16And they should.
03:17They've got to get into the depth
03:19of Indiana on the front line.
03:22Boston off the bounce
03:23and she'll get a trip to the stripe.
03:28Aaliyah Boston does such a great job
03:30with her footwork
03:31but right here
03:32she stays vertical
03:34and you force Cheyenne
03:35Parker Tyus
03:37to score over you
03:38without fouling.
03:39Going right at Boston
03:41is definitely a key in this game
03:43to see if you can put her
03:44at a deficit
03:44on the defensive end.
03:46A starter in the All-Star game
03:50along with Mitchell and Clark.
03:52Three Fever members
03:54will be in that starting lineup
03:56in Chicago
03:56at the end of the month.
04:0585% at the line this year
04:07and you see the numbers for her
04:09at 17 points a night.
04:11That's the best of her young career.
04:13It's because she's added so much
04:15face-up ability to her game.
04:18There's a lot of spots on the floor now.
04:20She can beat you offensively.
04:25Boy, Kelsey Mitchell
04:26did a really good job
04:27on not letting
04:28Chelsea Gray
04:29cut across the front
04:30of her face
04:31on that inverted post-up
04:33from the weak side.
04:34Really good D by Mitchell.
04:37Again, good defense by Mitchell.
04:39Had a tip down of bounds
04:40off of Gray.
04:41They tried to get her
04:42in a post-up
04:44on the block.
04:54Mitchell off the screen
04:56to that left hand.
04:57That wide pin down action
04:59with her going left
05:00is unguardable.
05:01There's nobody in the lead
05:02that can stop that.
05:04Talk to Becky Hammond
05:05pregame and that's going to be
05:06an offensive foul on the screen.
05:09She was worried about
05:11Mitchell's speed.
05:12See, it's a wide pin down
05:14because it's near
05:15the three-point line.
05:16It's not down the lane line.
05:18And look at Mitchell's
05:19change of pace.
05:20And even Jewel Lloyd
05:21is top-blocking
05:22or trying to keep her
05:23from using the screen.
05:24It's really well done
05:26by a clear out
05:27on that strong side.
05:28They go right back
05:29to the same play.
05:30Mitchell this time
05:30feeds Boston down low.
05:33Misses on the first attempt
05:34and then blows by
05:36to the left side
05:36as Parker Tyus
05:38was talking with the official.
05:41In a one-on-one
05:42that close to the basket,
05:45Aaliyah Boston wins
05:46most of those matchups.
05:48Squares the score
05:49at seven.
05:51Corner.
05:51Three is good
05:53from Jewel Lloyd
05:54now in her 12th season.
05:56And another
05:58former U.S. Olympian
06:00in the lineup
06:00tonight for the Aces.
06:03Mitchell this time
06:04to the right hand.
06:05Boston nice pump fake
06:06and she's drawn fouls
06:08in the lane.
06:13I'm not sure
06:14what Cheyenne Parker Tyus
06:15was doing right here.
06:17Talking to the ref
06:18while the play's going on.
06:21And then she loses
06:22her mouth.
06:23and Boston says
06:24thank you for the
06:25lane to the rim.
06:30Well the other
06:31breaking news
06:32after this last trip
06:33down the floor
06:34is two fouls
06:35already on
06:36Melissa Smith.
06:37And so one of the
06:39bigs departs
06:40and Brianna Turner
06:42at 6-3
06:44will replace her.
06:48So it's Aaliyah Boston
06:50that gets one of
06:51the Aces bigs
06:53in trouble early.
06:54And Melissa Smith
06:55coming off that
06:5529 point performance
06:57against Chicago
06:58in overtime
06:59the last game.
07:00And tipped up
07:02and in.
07:03I think Billings
07:03is going to get
07:04the credit for that
07:05right?
07:06Monique Billings
07:07got a hand in there.
07:09And Indiana
07:10inches too
07:11within one.
07:16And comes Young
07:17with Mitchell
07:18defending
07:18and that's off
07:19of Jackie's
07:19foot out of bounds.
07:22Indiana doing
07:23a really good job
07:24defensively
07:25loading to the
07:25basketball.
07:26And watch this
07:27tip in right here.
07:28Closest player
07:28gets the credit
07:29and that's Billings.
07:32Got a fingertip
07:33in there.
07:34Loose ball
07:35and Monique
07:35with the hustle play
07:36will get Mitchell
07:37a clean look
07:38and she'll knock
07:39down the triple.
07:41Kelsey Mitchell
07:42might be one
07:43of the most
07:43exciting fun
07:44players in the
07:45league to watch.
07:46Never takes a
07:47play off.
07:48Never changes
07:48her expression.
07:50Just works.
07:51Gray tries to
07:52counter.
07:53Kelsey as good
07:54a scorer as she
07:55is third in the
07:56league.
07:57She's 11 of 15
07:58from downtown
08:00in her last two
08:00games and here
08:01she is hitting
08:02an early three
08:03again for the
08:03fever.
08:05Turner able to
08:06bother the shot.
08:08Young walked
08:09with it and
08:10there was
08:11Lexi
08:11Hall forcing
08:12the turnover.
08:20Becky Hammond
08:21not happy with
08:22what she
08:23wanted was a
08:25call on the
08:25other end.
08:26Becky three
08:27championships.
08:29A fourth would
08:30tie the
08:30WNBA record
08:32held by
08:32Cheryl Reeve
08:33and Van
08:33Chancellor.
08:35She's already
08:35got the best
08:36win percentage
08:38in league history
08:39for any of the
08:40coaches now in
08:4130 years of the
08:42W.
08:45Paul Gray
08:47trying to stay
08:47in front and
08:49forced her to
08:50change the shot.
08:54Chelsea Gray
08:55across midcourt.
08:56They've turned it
08:57over in four of
08:58their last six
08:58possessions and
09:00Chelsea will knock
09:01down the midrange.
09:02Beth, there's
09:02patience and
09:04there's dribbling
09:04with a purpose
09:05and that possession
09:06right there was
09:07both by Chelsea
09:08Gray.
09:08She gets snaked
09:10behind and then
09:11she just keeps the
09:12dribble until she
09:13draws the matchup,
09:14gets to her spot
09:15and drills the
09:16midrange.
09:21The WNBA on
09:22ESPN is presented
09:24by Google Pixel.
09:28The rest of the
09:29way they have a
09:29back-to-back with
09:30LA, potentially
09:31another meeting with
09:32Phoenix and Alyssa
09:33Thomas later this
09:34week before they
09:35come back here to
09:36Vegas to finish out
09:38the trip.
09:39It's a long trip on
09:40the West Coast,
09:41that's for sure, and
09:41I like the way
09:43Becky Hammond is
09:43managing Asia
09:45Wilson.
09:46Yep.
09:46You know, you have
09:47the league's leading
09:47scorer, you got the
09:48three-time MVP, but
09:50you're building for
09:52September and
09:53October.
09:53You don't want to
09:54take a chance on
09:55Asia Wilson.
09:55She's too valuable
09:56of an asset.
09:58And as Billings
10:00scores inside,
10:01Becky mirrored what
10:02Stephanie White
10:02told us this week
10:03too.
10:04Of course, they had
10:05a week off working
10:06on their defense.
10:06That's going to be a
10:07priority for Becky
10:08and their crew in
10:09the coming week.
10:11As good as these
10:12two are at scoring,
10:13the defense sometimes
10:13gets them in
10:14trouble.
10:15Well, defense, you
10:16like to play out of
10:17it, right, if you
10:18can.
10:18And Chelsea Gray
10:19said they'll be
10:20working on their
10:20second and third
10:21options too in their
10:22offense.
10:22That's a pretty good
10:23one right there.
10:24Clear out for
10:24Jackie Young in a
10:25one-on-one.
10:27Boy, the depth
10:30for Vegas.
10:31And here's Raven
10:31Johnson now, the
10:32rookie on to run
10:33the point for Vegas.
10:35Billings has come
10:36out aggressively
10:37hunting her shots.
10:38That's exactly what
10:40Stephanie White is
10:40looking for from
10:41her.
10:45And now also into
10:46the ballgame for the
10:47Aces is Kennedy
10:48Carter, who is one
10:50of the frontrunners for
10:51sixth player of the
10:52year.
10:52She is the best
10:53scorer off the
10:54bench right now in
10:56the league.
10:56And Billings missed
10:58the layup.
11:00What a defensive play
11:01though.
11:01And Kelsey Mitchell
11:03spotted up.
11:04I mean, that's great
11:05rotation by the
11:06Fever in the second
11:08level after they
11:09showed a trap and
11:11recovered with a
11:12rotation.
11:13Parker Tyus on the
11:15drive.
11:16And she'll get back to
11:17the free throw line
11:18against an Indiana
11:19team that allows
11:20opponents the most
11:21free throws in the
11:23league.
11:24Well, they fouled
11:25the most.
11:26And, yeah, right
11:26here, Billings from
11:27the elbow doing a
11:29really nice job of
11:30getting to her spot
11:31and being confident.
11:32And right here, we
11:33show the high, hard
11:34heads, the rotation,
11:36one pass away.
11:37Well done by the
11:38Fever.
11:47That was the second
11:49foul on Billings.
11:51Hey, let's take a
11:52look at the upcoming
11:53WNBA national TV
11:54schedule.
11:55Tomorrow, USA, it's
11:57Seattle and Los
11:58Angeles.
11:58And then that big
11:59game on Tuesday,
12:01Paige Beckers will be
12:03in Brooklyn to take
12:04on Brianna Stewart.
12:05It's Dallas and New
12:06York.
12:06It's Gino Auriemma
12:08and Robin Roberts
12:09back together again.
12:10The very first ESPN
12:13broadcast team back in
12:161997 in the inaugural
12:17season of the league.
12:21Mitchell tries to step
12:23through and draws the
12:24foul.
12:25That is two of the
12:25quickest players in the
12:27league going one-on-one.
12:29I would pay money to
12:31watch that for 40
12:32minutes.
12:34That's how good this is
12:35right here.
12:36Look at Carter trying
12:36to keep Kelsey Mitchell
12:37in front.
12:38It is a challenge.
12:40And Mitchell's strong
12:41enough to play through
12:42the contact to draw a
12:43foul.
12:47Had a great conversation
12:48yesterday at their
12:49practice with Kelsey.
12:51And, you know, as you're
12:53in the league longer and
12:54longer, the offseason
12:57sometimes is about
12:58physical skill sets, but
12:59a lot of times it's about
13:01your mental preparation.
13:02And that was one of her
13:03focuses in the offseason
13:05as she will head back to
13:07the free throw line.
13:08Hard contact there.
13:10And Kelsey quick to jump
13:11up.
13:13Kelsey Mitchell plays the
13:15game low to high.
13:17I say it all the time.
13:18She's like a running back.
13:19She's got her shoulder
13:20pads over her thigh pads.
13:21And when she gets into the
13:23paint, like going through
13:24an offensive line, she
13:26really plays the game low.
13:28It gives her explosion
13:30power and finishing
13:31ability.
13:34Boy, and this is a
13:35terrific start for Indy in
13:38one big regard.
13:39They now have Melissa
13:40Smith and Kennedy Carter
13:43in early foul trouble.
13:45As we send it over to
13:46Holly Rowe.
13:47Well, you talked about
13:48Kelsey Mitchell working
13:49on her game in the
13:50offseason, Beth.
13:51And she said, I really
13:51tried to make myself
13:52uncomfortable.
13:53She asked her
13:53trainers to put her in
13:55situations where she felt
13:57outside of her box every
13:58single day.
13:59She said, I had to force
14:00myself to go right.
14:01She's a lefty.
14:02She loves going left.
14:03That's what the
14:03scouting report says.
14:04So she said, we would do
14:05it 30 times in a row.
14:07I would work to go to my
14:08right-hand side, make sure
14:09I can get down and get to
14:10the hoop and be comfortable
14:11being uncomfortable in
14:13those moments.
14:14Part of the reason why
14:15she continues to be an
14:16all-star, Holly, because
14:17she continues to add to
14:18her game.
14:19And yes, they try to make
14:21her go right, but she's
14:22going left and you're not
14:23going to do anything about
14:24it.
14:24First time she will be a
14:25starter in the all-star
14:27game.
14:27Turner, the nice pick and
14:28roll, assists to Jewel
14:31Lloyd.
14:32Kelsey was telling us she
14:33talked to her mom after the
14:34all-star selections and said,
14:35Mama, did I hear my name get
14:37called?
14:38I wasn't sure if that was
14:38right or not.
14:40But one of three starters in
14:42the all-star game with Aaliyah
14:43Boston and Kaitlyn Clark.
14:46We know the starters.
14:47We don't know the 12
14:48reserves just yet.
14:49We'll find those out on
14:51Tuesday.
14:51But there you see for the
14:5314th time in 30 years, there
14:56are three starters from one
14:58team.
14:58And of course, the lone rep in
15:00the starting lineup for the
15:01Aces is Asia Wilson.
15:03As Kaitlyn looks on.
15:08Kelsey single-handedly is
15:09putting the Las Vegas Aces in
15:11foul trouble.
15:11She's picked up several
15:12personal fouls on their
15:14defense.
15:15with just being aggressive
15:17off the bounce.
15:21The number one scoring team
15:23in the league, seven times
15:24over 100 points, including
15:26four of their last six games.
15:43Look how spaced the floor is.
15:45Look how wide open the lane is.
15:49Young, the pull-up, rolls around
15:53and out.
15:54And the rebound from
15:55Michaela Timpson.
15:57She'll run the floor hard off
15:59the heel of the rim.
16:01And now Young will push.
16:03Both these clubs love the
16:04transition game.
16:05And Jackie off glass.
16:12Carter stays on the floor
16:14defender defending Mitchell with
16:15the two fouls.
16:17They're switching those
16:18perimeter screens.
16:21Sophie Cunningham with a touch.
16:23Wide open.
16:24Timpson.
16:25And this time, she does find
16:26the bottom of the net.
16:28Good dive on the backside
16:29once she recognized the
16:30double team.
16:31Good pass as well.
16:33Indiana has assisted on five
16:35of their eight buckets here in
16:37in the first quarter.
16:39For the lead again for the
16:41aces.
16:42And that one high off the back
16:43of the window.
16:47Raven with her head up.
16:49Timpson defended by Steph Talbot,
16:52who for the first time this year
16:53comes off the bench for Vegas.
16:56Number seven in black.
16:58Raven trying to go to work on her.
17:01Hines Allen swings it around
17:03at Cunningham.
17:04Top five in the WNBA from
17:06downtown.
17:07Raven under control.
17:09Piece of the paint.
17:10Swing, swing, three.
17:13Well done by the fever.
17:16Final minute of this first quarter
17:18here in Vegas.
17:22He's really working hard to deny
17:24Jackie Young the basketball too.
17:26Talbot for three.
17:27Young has become such a
17:29terrific passer.
17:30Gets them an open look.
17:31They're going to take a look at
17:32that at the quarter break to see
17:35if her feet were behind the line.
17:37Mitchell weaving her way into
17:39the lane.
17:39Comes up short.
17:41Talbot with a rebound.
17:42Lloyd ahead of the pack.
17:45And the foul on Cunningham.
17:51What you want to do is get a
17:53piece of the paint and Indiana
17:54does a really good job
17:55collapsing the defense.
17:56Look at all the black jerseys
17:58below the free throw line.
17:59And then Myesha Hines Allen
18:01goes right to the pocket to
18:02Cunningham.
18:04And on the other side right here.
18:06How about Talbot?
18:07Maybe this is a good coaching
18:08move, Beth.
18:09Bringing Talbot off the bench.
18:11Hard to tell from that angle
18:13if the toes were on the line or
18:14not.
18:16As Lloyd hits on the first.
18:21She got the start against
18:23Chicago on Friday night.
18:25Played 39 minutes in their
18:26overtime win.
18:27And scored 19 as they were able
18:30to pick up the slack with Asia
18:32Wilson out.
18:35Two second differential here.
18:41Carter defending Mitchell.
18:46Hines Allen.
18:48Nice kick to the opposite side.
18:50Five seconds for the Aces to work
18:52with.
18:52Lloyd checks.
18:54Gives it up.
18:54Jackie critical goes.
18:57And a one point Las Vegas lead
19:00through one.
19:02As we get set for the start of the
19:04second quarter on our women's
19:06sports Sunday night here at T-Mobile.
19:09Kelsey Mitchell leading the way with
19:11seven.
19:12Monique Billings with six for the
19:14fever.
19:15On the other side, Jackie Young and
19:16Jewel Lloyd combining for a dozen.
19:21Indy starting today in sixth place.
19:23Course, the top eight reaching the
19:25postseason at Las Vegas.
19:27They were atop the standings at the
19:29end of the regular season in each
19:31of the last two years.
19:32And right now in a tie at the top
19:34with Minnesota.
19:36The Lynx hoping to get back to full
19:39strength here real soon.
19:40It's going to be interesting to
19:41watch.
19:43As we inch closer to All-Star
19:45Weekend coming up at the end of
19:46July in Chicago.
19:48And Asia Wilson and Kaitlin Clark
19:52spectators tonight.
19:54As Holly Rowe was reporting with a
19:57weak layoff coming up for the
19:59Aces.
19:59Asia might be back in their final two
20:03games, road games, before the All-Star
20:06break.
20:06And Kaitlin Clark may be returning for
20:09Indy later this week.
20:11That's what Kaitlin talked about in her
20:13press conference this week, which was a
20:15very good one.
20:19Kaitlin talking about the focus on the
20:22joy, the fire, and the fun is why you
20:26play this game.
20:27She talked about how the outside
20:29noise does a disservice to the
20:32players and to the league.
20:34And that the harassment and the hate,
20:36Debbie, is not okay, whether it's
20:39directed at her or her teammates or
20:41the rest of the players and coaches
20:42around the league.
20:43It's not okay.
20:44And don't pay attention to the people
20:47on social media.
20:48Keep your focus where it needs to be.
20:51Do your jobs the way you're supposed
20:53to do your jobs.
20:54And you know what?
20:56The product's a narrative.
20:57I've been saying it for the product is
20:58so good.
20:59The execution is at a high level.
21:02The skill set is outstanding.
21:04There's more scoring in the league this
21:05year than there's ever been.
21:07There's more teams over 80 points a
21:09game.
21:09There's more 20-point scorers.
21:11The league's in great shape from a product
21:13standpoint.
21:14It's expanded, of course, to Toronto
21:16and Portland.
21:18And in the next few years, up to 18 teams
21:21in the league with the additions of
21:23Cleveland, Detroit, and Philly.
21:28Gray bumped by Cunningham, and that's going
21:30to be the second on Sophie.
21:31This is an example of what I'm talking
21:33about.
21:34Aaliyah Boston, all 6'5".
21:36Look at that footwork.
21:38All she does is gets the defender
21:40leaning, and then she counters with
21:42incredible footwork, and then really nice
21:45delivery by Chelsea Gray.
21:47Operating in the middle third, really
21:49tough to defend.
21:50Gray short.
21:51Boston is there to grab it.
21:55Pull-up.
21:56Raven Johnson short.
21:58Gets her own miss.
21:59And High Archer off the glass.
22:02Raven giving quality minutes right now.
22:05Lloyd finding Talbot.
22:07Off the mark.
22:09Raven doing a good job of defending.
22:12She can run a team.
22:13She's still learning how to run this one.
22:16Fever looking for her to be much more
22:18instinctual, as Stephanie White said.
22:20Just make plays.
22:22Don't worry about running plays.
22:24And that's going to be a foul on the
22:27screen, I believe.
22:33Now this foul's on Boston.
22:35Yeah.
22:36I mean, there is such a thing as a
22:38butt screen in the game.
22:39A rump bump, Debbie?
22:48Remember, we're supposed to be
22:49emphasizing freedom of movement.
22:52Spinning Smith.
22:54Five minutes in that first quarter.
22:56Had a couple of early fouls.
22:58And she goes to work here early in the
22:59second.
23:03Stagger away for Raven.
23:06Step up for Ty.
23:08Back to Johnson for three.
23:10Short Boston.
23:10Offensive rebound.
23:12Has to kick it back out.
23:13Wants it.
23:14Gets it.
23:17Over Smith.
23:18That won't go.
23:20And it's Vegas ball.
23:22Becky Hammond's defense mixing up when
23:25they bring the double.
23:26And sometimes Boston takes a little bit
23:29of time to make her move in the post.
23:31And when that does happen, that's a great
23:33time to bring two to the ball.
23:34Well, Becky Hammond wants a timeout here for
23:42Las Vegas.
23:447.06 to go for the first half.
23:48The WNBA on ESPN.
23:50Can beat you and counter and find solutions to
23:53whatever defense you throw at her.
23:55They are the two leading scorers right now.
23:59Vegas up one.
24:00Three minutes gone in this second quarter.
24:04Aces start out the day tied for first place in
24:07the W with the Minnesota Lynx.
24:10Indiana's ball pressure has been really good in
24:12the first half.
24:15Off the bounce, Smith.
24:17Can't finish at the rim.
24:19Another good defensive possession.
24:23Becky Hammond was telling us that her team let
24:25them down in the fourth quarter.
24:26They didn't get kills.
24:27That's three stops in a row.
24:28But then they had seven in overtime.
24:30Let's see if they can get some stops here.
24:32All right.
24:33Mitchell with the ball.
24:34And Sophie Cunningham with the headset on for
24:36us now over on the Fever bench.
24:39What's up, Sophie?
24:40Hi, guys.
24:41How are you over there?
24:41Hey, we're doing good.
24:43Now, hey, how about you when knocking down
24:44that triple earlier in the game?
24:46How is the spacing out there offensively?
24:49Honestly, not so good.
24:50I think this team right here, us, when we move
24:54the ball, we can really get whatever we want.
24:55But the ball's kind of sticking right now.
24:57And so our spacing has to be better.
24:59If they're going to double team, triple team,
25:00maybe we need to take advantage of that and get
25:03wide open shots on the perimeter.
25:04Nice lay-in there for Lexi Hall.
25:06We saw you guys pregame, Sophie.
25:08And pretty much everywhere you guys go, right?
25:10Fever Nation is supporting you.
25:12And you guys are giving it back.
25:13What's it like to have this kind of environment
25:16everywhere you're going, even when you're
25:18away from home?
25:18Man, I know a lot of teams say that every game
25:22is a home game.
25:23Sorry, I was just saying if we got that charge call
25:24or not.
25:24We didn't.
25:26But I really do believe that.
25:27I think Fever, we have the best fans in the W.
25:30Worldwide, I really think.
25:31Wherever we go, it's a home game for us.
25:33And so we just try to put on, work hard, play hard.
25:35And we just got to work on our consistency.
25:37They show up for us, and we need to show up for them.
25:39All right.
25:39Thank you so much, Sophie.
25:40I'm just going to throw this out there.
25:41You guys have never won here in the regular season.
25:44I'm just going to toss that out.
25:45Is that good, Juju, or bad, Juju?
25:46What are you trying to do to us over here?
25:47Plenty of time to go.
25:47Plenty of time.
25:48I love it.
25:49Thank you, guys.
25:5011-0 are the Aces since they came here to Las Vegas
25:55in the regular season.
25:56Of course, Indy did get a win in the playoffs last year
25:58in that epic five-game series that went to a game five OT
26:03with the Aces pulling it out.
26:05Sophie's got quite a personality.
26:07Yes, she does.
26:08It's great for the league, great for the game.
26:11Plays with Joy.
26:14Harris trying to find some space, and we've got a whistle
26:18after the ball went in the air.
26:21Fatou Sissoko-Stevens, Claire Simons, Claire Simmons,
26:24and Egan Abazi are officials tonight.
26:28And I think, are they going to call that on the shooter?
26:32It's going to be two on Jewel Lloyd,
26:36and they're going to go investigate.
27:01All right.
27:03So that would have been Lloyd on Ty Harris.
27:12Ty did twist her ankle in that,
27:15but I don't think Jewel's involved
27:18in a reckless closeout there.
27:21She actually stepped on Chelsea's ankle.
27:24I mean, she's not closing out with speed and from distance,
27:27and she is in control of her body.
27:29So to me, that's not a definition of a reckless closeout.
27:34Unfortunately, Ty came down on her foot wrong.
27:37Hopefully, she's okay.
27:41This shouldn't take long, Beth.
27:44Ty making her second start with Clark out.
27:47Unless you're looking at Chelsea Gray,
27:49which the foul was called on Jewel.
27:52Foul was called on Lloyd.
27:53But maybe the closeout they're looking at is Chelsea Gray.
27:57And I would say the same things about Chelsea
27:59in terms of the definition of a reckless closeout.
28:01Did not seem to be moving into the shooter at all.
28:06Let's see if Harris is going to stay in there.
28:08She does remain on the bench with the unit that's out there on the floor.
28:15For Ty, this is a big moment for her.
28:18I know she goes back to her days at Connecticut playing for Steph White.
28:22And now getting an opportunity for more minutes.
28:25Yep, so it's going to stay a common foul.
28:28Adjudicated that very quickly.
28:29Well done.
28:31But one of the keys that Stephanie was talking about
28:33is the trust that they have in Ty.
28:35Now that she's a veteran, the maturity is there.
28:37You can see it in her game.
28:38You can see it in her decision making.
28:42Well, the game is fast.
28:44And your primary ball handling skills have to be outstanding in this league.
28:50Because the ball pressure defensively is really tough.
28:52But the second level is where you need to see and read.
28:56And then if you can get to the third level in your skill set,
28:58as fast as the game is,
29:00those are things that Chelsea Gray does naturally,
29:03how she reads the floor.
29:04And Ty's really starting to pick that up in Stephanie White's system.
29:08Holly Rose got more for us.
29:10Well, the beauty of Ty Harris and Stephanie White's system
29:13is she's been in it before.
29:14Remember, she played for Stephanie White at Connecticut two years ago.
29:18Last year went to Dallas, got hurt, had a season-ending knee injury.
29:21But Stephanie said Tyisha knows so much of what they're trying to get to.
29:25Some of it changes depending on if Caitlin Clark's in the game or not.
29:28But she said Ty really understands.
29:30She knows what our actions are going to be,
29:32where the ball needs to get to.
29:33And that familiarity with the system has paid off so far.
29:37Lloyd draws the foul on Ty and free throw's coming.
29:41It's so valuable, Holly, to have someone with that kind of veteran background
29:46that understands and is a professional.
29:49I mean, she approaches the game like a pro should.
29:54So Lloyd to the line, a 72% free throw shooter.
29:59It's time for tonight's DraftKings Player Pulse.
30:04Mitchell, one of the top scorers in the league,
30:07and Jackie Young, one of the hottest hands in the league, coming in.
30:11DraftKings is the number one sportsbook for live betting.
30:14Use promo code COURT when you sign up.
30:16But both these teams, Debbie, know, hey, their stars are out tonight.
30:20And as much as they miss them and would love to have them on the floor,
30:23there are opportunities for other players to step up.
30:27Aaliyah Boston being one of those, scores in the lane for Indy.
30:31For both teams, that's like 15 shots a game that somebody else is going to get
30:35that you don't have without Wilson and without Clark.
30:39And there's plenty of firepower and opportunity.
30:42And on this end, it's not something they're used to.
30:45Asia has only missed 15 games in her nine-year career.
30:51As Young with a nice fade look.
30:54So tough.
30:55Jackie Young, to me, looks like one muscle.
30:59So fit and strong.
31:02Mitchell.
31:03Oh, nice change of direction and goes to the right side
31:06to beat the scouting report.
31:08Right down the lane line, and you can't help off the strong corner
31:10because Lexi Hull's in the corner, and she's a really good corner three-point shooter.
31:14Smith fouled hard on the drive.
31:18Hines Allen quick to help her up.
31:22You know, if more players did that right there, play hard, foul hard,
31:26and then pick them up, we wouldn't spend so much time reviewing plays.
31:31That was a hard foul.
31:33It's a play on the ball.
31:35But Hines Allen immediately picks her up.
31:38That's fine.
31:43So, Melissa to the line, doing what Becky Hammond has asked her to do,
31:49attacking more off the bounce, adding that to her game, Debbie.
31:53Not only initiating the action, but trying to finish at the rim.
31:56She'll see if she can knock down a pair here.
32:01She's a WNBA champ, acquired last June in a trade with Dallas.
32:07Spent some time with the fever.
32:09Former number two pick, in fact.
32:11And she may have gotten bloodied on that collision.
32:17You know, Beth, we've covered all these players in college.
32:19We've watched their skill set evolve.
32:21We've watched them become professionals.
32:23And you see the improvement and the great balance in their games.
32:29She's scoring, or she's shooting better than 65% from the floor.
32:34If she maintains that, she would be just the fifth player to ever shoot that well.
32:38Well, she leads the league in that category.
32:41And a lot of it has to do with the attention that Asia Wilson draws.
32:46Because Asia demands two.
32:48And that leaves the backside open for offensive rebounding.
32:51And that's how you get a high field goal percentage.
32:54You play with Asia Wilson off the ball.
32:56No shame in being a little bit further down the scouting report.
32:58It's okay.
32:59You're going to get some 1v1s.
33:02And you're going to get your moments.
33:05Just got to be there when the call comes.
33:08Mitchell short.
33:11They've done a good job of keeping her quiet in this second quarter.
33:17And Becky Hammond has been able to play the second quarter
33:22without having to play Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray together.
33:25She's been able to give them both some time on the bench.
33:28Because they both can initiate.
33:30Mitchell seven points in the first.
33:32Just two here in the second.
33:34There's Young taking the handoff.
33:36Finding Kennedy Carter.
33:39Good relocation on the perimeter.
33:41Offensive rebound.
33:42Lloyd no.
33:44Carter able to save with a nice athletic play.
33:48Lloyd.
33:49How many chances will they get?
33:51Boston denies them another one.
33:55Harris will push.
33:56Three on two.
33:58Billings leaves it for Mitchell.
34:00Good trail triple for Indy.
34:03When you push and you run hard, you flatten out that defense.
34:07And that leaves the top of the floor wide open.
34:10Really good choice by Billings.
34:12Carter.
34:13A player that Becky Hammond says can be an absolute game changer for them.
34:19Has been in and out of the league the last several seasons.
34:24Getting another opportunity here with Vegas in a very good situation for her.
34:30Paul pulls up in the lane for two.
34:33And to your point, Kennedy Carter leads all scorers off the bench in the WNBA right now with better than
34:3813 points a game.
34:39And she is as fit as I've ever seen her.
34:43Really worked on her conditioning.
34:46Lloyd looking for space.
34:48Draws the foul and one.
34:50What a play by Jewel Lloyd.
34:57When you have this kind of shot making ability and you can get to your spot, handle a little contact
35:04and then get the dead.
35:05Debbie Antonelli, Holly Rowe is with us as well.
35:08I know you love talking about how Tamika used to play the game defensively.
35:11And some of the other greats in the league over the years.
35:13You know, over 30 years, the smallest defensive player of the year was Debbie Black.
35:17The tallest was Brittany Griner.
35:19There's been shot blockers, those that have led the league, and steals.
35:22But I think they should name the award after Tamika catching.
35:26She was so good on the defensive end nine times.
35:29She was first team all defense.
35:33What does Tamika think about all this, Holly Rowe?
35:37Well, Tamika understands she was the best ever defensively.
35:40You know, I was able to talk to her this morning about this.
35:43And she said she didn't come into the league as an elite defender.
35:45Pat Summitt really started to bring that out in her at Tennessee.
35:49But she said, I had such a desire.
35:51One of the things that she thought made her a great defender is she was hearing impaired.
35:55She said, I've had to learn how to read people my entire life because of my hearing loss.
35:59And that helped her on the court read defenders, read tendencies.
36:03She also studied a lot.
36:04But Tamika, we all are going to lobby for this until it happens.
36:07The Defensive Player of the Year award should be Tamika Catchings, the best we ever saw play defense.
36:13If we've got Holly's vote, that should seal it.
36:15Holly, she lauded a lot of other players, right, that she liked.
36:19That's right.
36:19I asked her who she likes watching, and she really believes some of the best defenders in the league have
36:23been
36:23Lisa Leslie, Sylvia Fowles, Ty Young, Elena Beard.
36:28And then she really shouted out Hannah Hidalgo in college right now that I thought.
36:32But she also made sure to mention Asia Wilson has gotten so much better defensively, as you can see from
36:37her three Defensive Player of the Year award.
36:39So I love it that Tamika's got her eye on the league and making sure to pay attention to who
36:42is playing defense in her honor.
36:44You know, Holly, I like this year.
36:46Ryan Howard, I would put on that list.
36:48I think she's been fantastic in Atlanta.
36:50And then Gabby Williams, she's been outstanding.
36:53Look at Tamika.
36:54Number 24 for the Fever.
36:56One of the pure joys of this whole league and game was covering Tamika Keshing's career in Indiana.
37:03And she was aggressive.
37:05She played up the line.
37:06She anticipated all the skills that Holly talked about.
37:10And she won a WNBA championship in 2012.
37:15With the Indiana Fever.
37:19I love that she's watching the college game, too, as all of us should be, because the talent that is
37:24coming into the league,
37:26certainly Paige Beckers last year, the rookie of the year, Olivia Miles, the front runner for the award this year.
37:32And in the next few seasons, Juju, Hidalgo, Sarah Strong, Madison Booker, Michaela Blakes, Joyce Edwards,
37:41as the league expands and the talent expands.
37:44And, of course, all of this building towards the 2028 Olympics, which will be on home soil as well.
37:50And there could be a lot of turnover on that Olympic roster with all this young talent.
37:56What a tough choice that's going to be for the selection committee to figure out who is going to play
38:01on the 2028 Olympic team in L.A.
38:04She still wants a spot on the team, Chelsea Gray.
38:07But, of course, Asia Wilson and Brianna Stewart pivotal in winning gold for the United States for the eighth straight
38:15time at the Olympics.
38:17Your dominance.
38:19Not going to be as easy this year.
38:21This, or 2028, the world is getting better.
38:24Yes, final minute here of this first half.
38:28Boston rattles one around and out.
38:30About a seven-second differential on the clock.
38:33Also, more international players in the league now than there's ever been as well.
38:37So, we're getting a chance to see some of them.
38:42This is when Jackie Young doesn't need a screen.
38:49Got to beat the shot clock.
38:50Lloyd won't go.
38:53And a foul on the rebound.
38:58Hey, coming up, we'll have the Allen.
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