Kelsey Plum nets 34 as Aces top Caitlin Clark, Fever in Vegas - ESPN

LAS VEGAS — Aces coach Becky Hammon said when team officials asked her about moving Tuesday's game with the Indiana Fever to the larger T-Mobile Arena, her only question was, «Can we make money?»

Told they could, Hammon said, «Move it!» The result was a sellout crowd of 20,366, the fifth largest in WNBA history and largest regular-season crowd at a WNBA game since 1999. They watched the Aces — led by a season-high 34 points from Kelsey Plum — defeat the Fever 88-69.

Indiana has become accustomed to big crowds at home and on the road this season, as the popularity of No. 1 draft pick Caitlin Clark has helped the Fever drive up their attendance. Sunday's Fever-Mercury game in Phoenix drew 17,071 fans, the largest crowd at Footprint Center since 1997.

There have been eight games in WNBA history to draw at least 20,000 fans. Four came in the opening years of the league, from 1997 to '99. There were two from 2000 to '23. Two have come this year, both Fever games — Tuesday night and June 7 at Washington, when the Fever and Mystics drew 20,333.

The Aces typically play at Michelob Ultra Arena at Mandalay Bay, which holds about 12,000. They've had a couple of games in previous seasons at T-Mobile Arena, home of the NHL's Golden Knights, and will have another for the Sept. 3 matchup with the Chicago Sky and popular rookie Angel Reese.

«Honestly, it was probably one of the best we've had from like an energy standpoint,» Clark, who had 13 points, 6 rebounds and 11 assists, said of the crowd. «The amount of people here just watching warmups, I feel like that's when I can kind of get a gauge on how good the crowd is or how excited they are about the game.

»Obviously, they're always excited, but tonight it just felt very different.