On the night of July 3 at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Aliyah Boston solidified her place among franchise legends by hauling in the rebound that moved her into fifth place on the Indiana Fever’s all‑time career boards (824) during a commanding 81-54 victory over the Las Vegas Aces.
Boston’s milestone grab punctuated another vintage performance for the Fever, whose lockdown defense and balanced scoring thrust them to a statement win.
Reflecting on the team’s evolving chemistry, Boston reserved special praise for guard Aari McDonald, who inked a rest‑of‑season deal with the Fever on June 25 after guard/forward DeWanna Bonner was waived off.
Aliyah Boston Hails Aari McDonald as the Fever’s ‘Perfect Missing Piece’
McDonald’s arrival on June 1 came amid a rash of injuries in the Fever backcourt. Indiana star Caitlin Clark has been out of nine total matchups this season due to two injuries: a prior quad strain, followed by a left groin injury.
Meanwhile, beyond McDonald’s seven rebounds and seven assists against the Aces tonight, her playmaking and tenacious perimeter defense have injected a layer of confidence into Indiana’s unit. On Thursday, the Fever’s attack strengthened when McDonald was on the court, resulting in a plus/minus of +26.
After winning the game, Boston was effusive in her praise for McDonald during a postgame media session. “I just think her impact. You see? Even just looking at her +/-, like +26, Aari’s impact whether it’s scoring, whether it’s defending, it’s getting us into offense. It’s making the right reads. It’s making the right pass,” Boston quipped.
“I just think she’s been the perfect missing piece for us,” Boston added, pointing to McDonald’s relentless pace and defensive tenacity that consistently tilts the lineup in Indiana’s favor.
“I just think she’s been the perfect missing piece for us.”
Aliyah Boston on what Aari McDonald has brought to the team this season. pic.twitter.com/JVO3OgwIc1
— Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever) July 4, 2025
Meanwhile, the game itself unfolded as a defensive clinic. After winning the Commissioner’s Cup against the Minnesota Lynx on July 1, the Fever carried that momentum forward by holding Las Vegas to just 26.2% shooting. Kelsey Mitchell scored a team-high 25 points on 9‑of‑18 shooting, while Natasha Howard chipped in an 11‑point, 10‑rebound double‑double and had a +21 plus/minus that keyed a smothering frontcourt presence.
Boston herself finished with 20 points and seven rebounds on 9-of-13 shooting, her milestone boards mingling with timely buckets that kept the Aces at arm’s length. Even A’ja Wilson’s 29 points (9‑of‑18 FGs, 11‑for‑13 FTs) could not shake the deficit. On top of that, no other Las Vegas starter reached double figures.
Now, the Fever will turn around quickly to host the Los Angeles Sparks on Saturday, July 5. As for Las Vegas Aces, Wilson’s squad embarks on the next leg of their road trip to face the Connecticut Sun on Sunday, July 6 at the Mohegan Sun Arena. Both clubs will look to build on the lessons of this showdown as they jockey for positioning in a tightly contested WNBA landscape.
