NaLyssa Smith has gone from Fever star to Indiana’s postseason adversary. Traded first to the Dallas Wings in January 2025 and then to the Las Vegas Aces, every matchup against her former team carries that heat. And for Fever fans, watching the player who once posted 433, 479, and 422 in consecutive seasons leave is tough enough. But what hurts even more is when she becomes the reason the Fever falls short. Her presence on the court now has Fever HC acknowledge one thing.
When the interviewer asked, “Steph, why do you think NaLyssa Smith has been able to have so much success these last couple of games?”. White’s straightforward assessment was, “She’s been physical. She’s done a good job of really imposing her will, being physical in her matchup, attacking the paint, being aggressive.“
In the latest matchup at Indiana, the Fever expected it to go their way, but ended up being the victims. The Aces followed that with another efficient outing from Smith in Game 3, and Las Vegas now holds a 2-1 lead in the series after the 84-72 victory in Indianapolis. Smith scored inside and hauled down rebounds that produced extra possessions, and the Aces outscored the Fever 25 to 16 in the fourth quarter when it mattered most.
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Smith finished Game 3 with 16 points on eight of 13 shooting, 4 rebounds, and 4 blocks. Smith’s play holds importance at Gainbridge because A’ja Wilson struggled with her shot that night. Wilson scored just 13 points with a poor shooting of 6-20. The Aces saved their day with Jackie Young’s 25 points besides Smith’s step-up at the right occasion. But this isn’t the first time for the former Indiana player.
In Game 2 of the semifinal series, too, Smith exploded for 18 points and seven rebounds on seven of nine shooting. A performance that even the league highlighted on its Instagram channel. “NaLyssa Smith took Playoff basketball to another level in the @LVAces Game 2 win over the Fever 🔥 She recorded 18 PTS, 7 REB & shot 7/9 from the field. Take another look at her buckets from last night!”
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Moreover, Aces coach Becky Hammon noted, Smith’s success is tied to the team’s defensive focus, with Smith herself explaining, “Defense is like our core focus. When our defense is on, our offense is 10 times better.” This transformation from a Fever castoff to a playoff catalyst for a dynasty team sets the stage for a pivotal Game 4.
Stephanie White’s tone and the Fever’s reaction make it clear that the club views Smith’s resurgence as a concrete problem they must solve before returning home for the next game. That sets the stage for a deeper look at how one Fever started reacting to seeing her ex-teammate dominate.
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Fever star Aliyah Boston acknowledged NaLyssa Smith’s impact
While Coach White’s comments were brief, Fever star Aliyah Boston provided a more detailed analysis of the problems her former teammate created. Boston, who is tasked with the enormous challenge of defending A’ja Wilson, found Smith’s contribution to be a game-changing factor. She pointed directly to Smith’s effort on the offensive glass as a key difference in the Aces’ Game 2 victory, which allowed Las Vegas to dominate paint scoring.
Boston did not hide her feelings, but she expressed respect for Smith’s abilities. “I would definitely say probably her offensive rebounding,” Boston told reporters. “She had a few… gave them second chance points, got herself to the free throw line. So for us, we just got to tighten down on that, box out because obviously she’s super athletic, and she does a great job of getting to the glass.”
Smith herself seemed to welcome the chance to return to Gainbridge Fieldhouse under these new circumstances. “I think it’ll be cool,” Smith said before Game 3. “They always have a great crowd. It’s going to be different being on the other side of things, but I think we know how to weather storms.”
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The environment lived up to its reputation, and the game became intensely physical, with a total of 41 fouls called. Boston, who navigated the physical battle against Wilson all night, skillfully avoided any fine-worthy criticism of the officiating, simply stating, “But hey, I’m here to hoop, so I know my business.”