LAS VEGAS (AP) — A Las Vegas Aces-Indiana Fever semifinals matchup would have been far from a surprise in the preseason.

But how the teams reached this point has been anything but conventional as they prepare to play each other in a best-of-five WNBA playoffs series that opens Sunday.

Las Vegas was fighting for a playoff spot in early August and coming off a record-setting 53-point home loss to Minnesota. Then the Aces seemingly out of nowhere reeled off 16 consecutive victories to close the regular season, tied for the second-longest streak in league history, to become the No. 2 seed.

Indiana went from expected title contender to an afterthought thanks to the loss of several key players, beginning with six-time All-Star forward DeWanna Bonner, who played in just nine games before forci

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