Kelsey Plum scores 34 as Aces beat Caitlin Clark, Fever in Vegas

LAS VEGAS — Aces coach Becky Hammon said when team officials asked her about moving Tuesday’s game against the Indiana Fever to the larger T-Mobile Arena, her only question was: “Can we make money?”

They were told they could do it, and Hammon said, “Move!” The result was a sellout crowd of 20,366, the fifth-largest crowd in WNBA history and the largest regular-season crowd for a WNBA game since 1999. They watched the Aces — led by Kelsey Plum, who scored a season-high 34 points — defeat the Fever 88-69.

Indiana has grown accustomed to large crowds at home and away this season, with the popularity of No. 1 overall draft pick Caitlin Clark helping the Fever boost their attendance. Sunday’s Fever-Mercury game in Phoenix drew 17,071 fans, the largest crowd at Footprint Center since 1997.

There have been eight games in WNBA history that drew at least 20,000 fans. Four were in the league’s early years, from 1997 to 1999. There were two from 2000 to 2023. Two were this year, both Fever games — Tuesday night and June 7 in Washington, when the Fever and Mystics drew 20,333.

The Aces usually play at Michelob Ultra Arena at Mandalay Bay, which seats about 12,000. They have played a few games in previous seasons at T-Mobile Arena, home of the NHL’s Golden Knights, and will play another on Sept. 3 against the Chicago Sky and popular rookie Angel Reese.

“Honestly, it was probably one of the best games we’ve had in terms of energy,” Clark, who had 13 points, six rebounds and 11 assists, said of the crowd. “The amount of people that were here to watch warm-ups, I can tell you the quality of the crowd and their enthusiasm for the game.”

“Of course, they’re always excited, but tonight was a lot different. There was just a crowd of people watching us warm up. It’s super cool to be a part of it. I hope everyone enjoyed it. And I hope everyone saw how good the Aces are. Their fans are out there and they’re incredible.”

Las Vegas, with an 11-6 record and five straight wins, is the two-time defending WNBA champion and the team others like the Fever aspire to emulate. The Aces have four players on the U.S. Women’s Olympic 5-on-5 team: A’ja Wilson, Chelsea Gray, Plum and Jackie Young.

Wilson is currently considered the frontrunner for the WNBA MVP award. She had 28 points, nine rebounds and five blocks on Tuesday. Young had 15 points and 10 assists. And Plum, with a season-high 34 points, became the fourth player in franchise history to reach 3,000 points. That group also includes Wilson and Hammon, who played for the franchise when it was still in San Antonio.

“When you can shoot like she can, and she’s fast, that’s the hardest thing in basketball,” Hammon said of Plum. “Protecting a moving ball with someone who can shoot, drive, pass and close in the paint.”

Plum was one of the top five draft picks in contention Tuesday, along with teammates Wilson and Young and Clark and Indiana’s Aliyah Boston.

Also announced on Tuesday was the WNBA All-Star roster, which includes Fever players Clark, Boston and Kelsey Mitchell.

They will face the American team, made up of the four Aces, in the All-Star Game on July 20 in Phoenix.

The Aces have been one of the WNBA’s most attractive teams since the franchise moved to Las Vegas in 2018. They have sold out the remainder of their home games.

But Tuesday night was even more special.

“There were a couple of moments where it felt like the building was going to explode,” Hammon said. “There’s a lot of eyes on us now. Vegas has been around for a few years, so I’m not surprised. It was pretty loud out there. The more fans, the more fun it is, no matter who you’re coming to see.”