Aces calm the Storm for sweep; New York comes next in second round 

Kelsey Plum had a 27-point difference between Game 1 and 2 of the Las Vegas Aces first-round series against the Seattle Storm, and part of that was credited to a moment she had in a sushi bar.

The Aces star guard was "projectile vomiting" throughout Game 1, resulting in just two points off 1-of-8 shooting.

"I sat at a sushi bar yesterday (Monday), and I was just like, 'You know what? I'm gonna throw Game 1 out the window and I'm just gonna start fresh,' Plum said. "I just needed to be clean."

While Aces coach Becky Hammon and A'ja Wilson questioned Plum's decision to eat sushi right after she was sick, the guard had a bounce-back performance in Game 2, downing a playoff career-high 29 points and shooting 73% from the field.

She led the Aces to an 83-76 win over the Seattle Storm on Tuesday, advancing into WNBA semifinals to face the top-seeded New York Liberty.

"It's a team effort," Plum said. "We were more physical and just proud of the way we defended."

Outside of Plum's rebound performance, the Aces are playing with a different intensity and energy in the playoffs compared to the regular season.

Chelsea Gray, who sat out for a quarter of the season due to an injury sustained in the 2023 WNBA Finals and spent the majority of the season getting back into a groove has hit her stride.

For a third straight game, Gray has recorded 6+ assists, dishing up nine in the Game 2 victory. The no-look and behind-the-back passes that have been a staple to her game have returned, and Gray is scoring the ball as well.

In addition to her assist total, Gray had 12 points in Game 2 and 16 points in Game 1.

"She's (Gray) not starting to get back, she is back," Wilson said. "She's just been working so hard to get back into the position that she's in today, and we're blessed to have her. Listen, when the game is on the line, put the ball in Chelsea Gray's hands."

As the first round comes to a close, the Aces second round matchup is one that fans have been waiting for all season. 

It's a rematch of the 2023 WNBA Finals where the Aces knocked off the Liberty in four games to win their second straight WNBA Championship.

While the Aces had a turbulent 2024 regular season the Liberty have dominated as the top team in the WNBA and swept the regular season series against Aces.

"They've (Liberty) been the best team all year," Hammon said. "They've played like a team pissed off with an edge. We've worked our way there. I feel like we've gotten our edge back in the last three to four weeks."

As the Aces begin to heat up with the Liberty on the horizon, Plum emphasizes that the Aces cannot worry about what anyone else is doing.

"We have to focus on what we do. We can't get caught up in what they're doing," Plum said. "There are adjustments and things you make throughout the series, but sometimes we can be our own worst enemy...This is a new season, and this is a fresh start."

Game 1 will be played Sunday at the Barclays Center. Game 2 will be Oct. 1 also in New York. Tip-off times are TBD.