Las Vegas Aces guard Kelsey Plum (10) congratulates her teammates during the first half of Game 1 in a WNBA basketball semifinal playoff series against the Dallas Wings Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023, in Las Vegas.
Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023 | 2 a.m.
Scoring the basketball will forever define Kelsey Plum. It’s how the Aces guard became the unquestioned No. 1 overall pick in 2017.
But it’s not how she wants her role on the Aces to be defined. Plum has accepted there will be nights she’s not going to score 20 points, or her shot won’t fall with consistency.
When it does connect like it did Sunday in Game 1 of the Aces’ semifinals series against the Dallas Wings, it makes the Aces more difficult to defend.
Plum scored 25 points on 8 of 15 shooting — 5 of 10 from 3-point range — in Las Vegas’ 97-83 win over the Wings, helping the Aces take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-5 series. It wasn’t a blemish-free game for Plum — she had six turnovers with two in the first quarter.
But the two-time all-star shook off that rough start to score 12 points in the second quarter. She scored 10 straight points, then assisted on another basket midway shortly after to give the Aces a cushion.
“For me, when I play, I’m just trying to do anything I can to help my team win,” Plum said. “Game to game, my role is really unique on this team because it really just depends on the game. I’m not attached to statistics. I’m attached to trying to make the right play.”
There have been times that’s been a struggle for Plum. She averaged 18.7 points during the regular season and shot 47% from the floor, but she shot 41% in the final 14 games — she made 40.2% of her 3-point attempts, however.
Behind the arc is where Plum excels as a career 39.7% 3-point shooter. Her ability to break down a defense makes her elite — whether taking a defender 1-on-1, or using her dribble to get to the basket.
“Just gotta keep playing,” Plum said. “I know I’ve put in the work, and I know I’m very confident. I know my teammates are confident in me, and I’m always going to stay aggressive.”
But when her shot’s not falling, Plum makes up for it in other ways.
Coach Becky Hammon has praised Plum’s improvement on defense. Her defensive rating of 108 — an estimate of points allowed per 100 possessions when a player is on the court — is the best of her career, in the most minutes of her career.
Her passing ability has also shined. Her 4.5 assists per game are slightly lower than the 5.1 from last season, but the Aces were 17-1 this season when she had five assists or more.
“When you talk about growth, that is some growth right there,” forward A’ja Wilson said on Aug. 11 when Plum tied a career-high with 10 assists. “Every single day, she’s coming in and getting better. I can’t put it into words how much she’s grown.”
Wilson has dominated the past two months and is why the Aces finished with the best record in the league.
But when the Aces get efficient play from the other all-stars, especially Plum, the team is at its best. Jackie Young was close to a triple-double on Sunday with 19 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists; Chelsea Gray added 13 points to go with four assists, two steals and two blocks.
Las Vegas shot 53.6% against a Dallas team that has given the Aces trouble with their size. For as concerned as Hammon was that her team’s offense would be rusty, shot making was not a problem.
If Plum has regained her form, it’s arrived at the right time.
“I have to play the right way,” Plum said. “I’m very confident in scoring the basketball. I feel like I can get hot really quick. I know it’s going to come, but me trying to force stuff or not in the flow, is not going to help us win games. I want to win.”
Game 2 is tonight at Michelob Ultra Arena (7 p.m., ESPN).
Aces-Wings Game 2
Time: 7 p.m.
TV: ESPN
Where: Michelob Ultra Arena at Mandalay Bay
Danny Webster can be reached at 702-259-8814 or [email protected]. Follow Danny on Twitter at twitter.com/DannyWebster21.
