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A'ja Wilson scored 38 points and Breanna Stewart had 34 as the Las Vegas Aces and New York Liberty won their playoff openers on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026.
A'ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart showed once again why they are arguably the best two players in the world, leading their teams to routs on the opening day of the WNBA playoffs on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026.
It is no major surprise since they have helped their respective teams win five of the past six WNBA championships. On Sunday, they combined to score 72 points, pull down 28 rebounds and block six shots.
Wilson Leads Aces Rout
Hours after Wilson earned The Associated Press WNBA Player of the Year for a third consecutive season, the Las Vegas Aces All-Star had 38 points, 16 rebounds and four blocked shots to help Las Vegas roll to a 102-85 win over Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever in Game 1 of a first-round playoff series in Las Vegas. Wilson missed the World Cup to let her back heal and get ready for the playoffs.
She had 22 points by halftime and finished the game making 15 of her 19 shots from the field. I think we just showed up to work, and that is what we need to do moving forward, Wilson said. The Aces will try to close out Clark and the Fever on Tuesday in Indianapolis. Stewart also filled up the stat sheet in New York's rout of top-seed Minnesota.
Stewart Powers Liberty Victory
She had 34 points, 12 rebounds, six assists, two steals and two blocks in the Liberty's 91-75 road win. The Liberty forward became the first WNBA player to put up those numbers in a postseason game. It was the second time she has had 30-plus points and more than 10 rebounds in a playoff game. I think I was just really ready.
I mean, if you do not get up for these big moments, then you have got to rethink why you are playing basketball, Stewart said. But for myself, mentally, I was just ready to do whatever it took to lead the team and get the win today. And my teammates found me and got me good looks at the basket, so I just wanted to keep going, she said.
Stewart has been stellar all month, including leading the U.S. national team to a fifth consecutive FIBA World Cup title as she earned MVP honours. She's a walking mismatch, New York guard Sabrina Ionescu said of Stewart, her Liberty teammate. The same could be said of Wilson, who was unstoppable in Las Vegas' rout of Indiana.
Even with the convincing win, Stewart is not taking anything for granted when the Liberty return home looking to close out the series on Tuesday. We did this in Phoenix and then we got smoked on our home court, Stewart said of the playoffs last year. So being really intentional for the adjustments we are going to make.
Obviously, we had a ton of turnovers (19) and want to be better in that area, but we are going to just have to have the same steadiness that we had for today; we are going to do that on Tuesday. Wilson's performance came in front of a home crowd in Las Vegas, where she repeatedly drove against Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell during the second half of Game 1.
WNBA Teams Seek Series Leads
The Aces and Liberty both hold 1-0 series leads as the first round continues. Las Vegas travels to Indianapolis for Game 2 on Tuesday, while New York hosts Minnesota with a chance to advance. Wilson and Stewart have been the face of the league for years, combining for multiple MVP awards and championships. Their playoff openers reinforced their status as the sport's dominant forces.
Both players will look to carry their momentum into Tuesday's games as their teams aim to move closer to another deep playoff run. The Aces and Liberty remain focused on closing out their series.
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CTVNews:A'ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart show why they are 2 of the best with dominating WNBA playoff openersThis story was compiled and edited by the HeadTopics newsroom and HT AI from the reports above.
WNBA Playoffs A'ja Wilson Breanna Stewart Las Vegas Aces New York Liberty
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