"UNREAL": Sophie Cunningham drops instant reaction on Aari McDonald's stepback dagger against Aces

Sophie Cunningham was as stunned as the fans after Aari McDonald nailed a step-back 3 to seal a win against the Las Vegas Aces on Thursday. The Indiana Fever beat their cross-conference rivals for the second consecutive time with an 80-70 win at home without Caitlin Clark.

It was a close game down the stretch, with the Aces trimming the Fever's lead to five with 1:33 left. However, McDonald ensured the Aces didn't get any closer. After a couple of blunders, including Kelsey Mitchell's turnover and Aliyah Boston's missed shot, McDonald iced the game with 33 seconds left. She isolated her defender at the top of the key and landed one of her most important shots in a Fever jersey.

Here's the clip:

Cunningham summed up her emotions in one word on the Fever's Instagram post about McDonald's dagger, saying:

"UNREAL"

Sophie Cunningham was in awe of Aari McDonald

The Fever needed a moment of brilliance considering their failures in the clutch this season and McDonaldo delivered. She went 3-for-3 from deep.

Indiana improved to 13-12 and leads the season series 2-1 against the Aces, beating them in consecutive games for the first time since 2015.

Stephanie White, Aliyah Boston join Sophie Cunningham in hailing Aari McDonald's clutch play

Fever coach Stephanie White and Aliyah Boston hailed Aari McDonald's game-sealing shot on Thursday against the Aces. White credited McDonald for her confidence to take such a shot with the game potentially slipping away from the Fever.

"She understands momentum, she understands timing, she understands the flow of that game and that was just a big shot and she shot it with confidence," White told reporters after the game. "There was no hesitation and that’s what I wanted to see."

Meanwhile, Aliyah Boston posted an Instagram story, captioning it:

"Big a not the lil"

With each passing game, Aari McDonald is proving to be a solid pick-up for the Fever. It seemed like there was no way for the Fever to get her back after signing her to multiple hardship deals, but the departure of DeWanna Bonner opened the door. The move has worked out, helping the Fever stay afloat in Caitlin Clark's absence.

About the author

Arhaan Raje is an Assistant Content Manager and Senior Writer with Sportskeeda's NBA/WNBA team with four years of experience.

Arhaan focuses on features, trends, listicles, and the latest rumors and reports circling the league's top teams and players. He emphasizes detailed research to create impactful content for readers. A fan of Xs and Os, Arhaan provides technical deep dives in his reporting.

Arhaan completed his bachelor's degree in BBA in Media and Entertainment Management from Mumbai, India.

Arhaan admires the killer mentality of Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan. He respects LeBron James for being a role model on and off the court. The bold and decisive Gregg Popovich stands out as Arhaan's favorite basketball coach. LeBron's epic chase-down block in the 2016 NBA Finals has a special place in Arhaan's basketball memories.

He has interviewed former NBA Defensive Player of the Year Gary Payton and Ronnie 2K, the face of NBA2k and Marketing Director.

Sports isn't the only passion he has pursued professionally. Arhaan is also into performing arts in the music industry as a percussionist.

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Edited by Arhaan Raje