Gordon: A’ja Wilson needs to play more like an MVP for Aces

The Seattle Storm got what they needed from their MVP on Sunday in Game 1 of the WNBA semifinals at Michelob Ultra Arena.

The Aces are going to need more from theirs.

While Storm superstar and 2018 MVP Breanna Stewart was driving, finishing and fading away for 24 points on 9-for-17 shooting in a 76-73 victory, Aces superstar and 2020 MVP A’ja Wilson was uninvolved — finishing with eight points on 3-for-10 shooting and a costly unforced turnover with 2:04 remaining that preceded Storm guard Jewell Loyd’s go-ahead 3-pointer.

What’s more is that Wilson attempted only one field goal in a fourth quarter, thereby marginalizing her uncanny ability to draw contact and will her way to the free-throw line. The should-be two-time MVP was a spectator down the stretch, ceding shots and touches to the guards who were ultimately tasked with deciding the outcome.

Even Seattle coach Noelle Quinn seemed surprised that Wilson wasn’t more of a factor offensively, revealing that the Storm are “preparing next game (for) A’ja getting the ball way more” than she did Sunday.

“She only took 10 shots today,” Quinn said. “That’s not enough.”

Not enough touches

No, it isn’t.

But it is a testament to Seattle’s game plan. The Storm opted to switch pick-and-roll actions, ensuring a defender was always attached to a ballhandler — and creating mismatches that tend to encourage isolations.

That meant bigger Storm defenders checking the All-Star trio of Chelsea Gray, Kelsey Plum and Jackie Young.

Sometimes, those matchups are just too enticing for the guards to bypass.

Gray was poised, patient and efficient, sinking 9 of 15 shots en route to 21 points. But she conceded that her trademark pullup jumper might not always be the best look for the Aces.

Including when it falls.

Plum was 8 of 23, attempting more than a third of her team’s 68 field goals and playing directly into Seattle’s scheme.

“We understand that we need to game plan and scheme and adjust as the game adjusts,” Quinn said. “But I think because of our scheme and the switches and the mismatches, it allows the guards to go against bigs. And you know what happens.”

As a result, Wilson, who wasn’t made available for comment, didn’t touch the ball nearly as often as she’s accustomed to.

Usage rate is a statistic that estimates how often a player affects a particular possession, and Wilson’s mark this season of 27.3 percent was on par with her career mark. But her usage rate Sunday was 14.6 percent, more than 2 percentage points lower than that of teammate Kiah Stokes, a valuable role player who rebounds and defends.

And who isn’t an MVP.

When Wilson did have the ball, she was met with resistance from a myriad of defenders — like Stewart, Tina Charles and Ezi Magbegor — who have the size and length to make her work.

“We’ve got to get (Wilson) in a little more space,” Gray said. “Get some easier stuff so she can see the ball go in the basket a little earlier.”

On to Game 2

To Gray’s point, Wilson didn’t make her first basket until the 9:32 mark of the second quarter.

Her four first-quarter shots seemed forced and out of rhythm. Like pretty much every other shot the Aces attempted in a 10-minute stretch they lost 26-15.

“There were times when we were passive. When we were settling a little bit for outside jumpers,” said Gray, the only WNBA champion on the roster. “We’re at our best when we get into the paint, kick out for 3s, and we’re passing the ball a little bit more. We’ll see in this next game how we’ll respond.”

We’ll see in Game 2 on Wednesday how Wilson responds, too.

Contact Sam Gordon at sgordon@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BySamGordon on Twitter.