A'ja Wilson has a way of making everything look easy. But the WNBA scoring leader and presumptive MVP struggled mightily in Game 1 against the Valkyries and she wasn't the only one. Wilson, Chelsea Gray and Jewell Loyd combined to shoot 17-of-50 (34 percent) in Game 1 with just 8 combined assists to 4 turnovers. They were 6-of-15 from beyond the arc and combined for just 15 free throw attempts.
The Aces had the second-best offense in the league during the regular season but the Valkyries were the best defense by an enormous margin and they absolutely suffocated Las Vegas in Game 1. This was a remarkable turnaround, despite their track record during the season. Las Vegas took all three games from the Valkyries during the regular season and scored 117.1 points per 100 possessions nearly five points per 100 possessiosn ahead of their regular season average. They've solved this Golden State defense before, and they'll have to do it again or their postseason run could be over before it really gets going.
The Valkyries offense will also need to step up if they're going to stay ahead of the Aces. They've been remarkably balanced all year but without that one true go-to scorer they can be vulnerable. Gabby Williams came up with 25 big points in Game 1 but only one other player, Kaitlyn Chen, scored in double-figures (11).
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