A'ja Wilson explains what really happened in heated fan sideline clash as Aces fall to Fever in Game 2

L as Vegas Aces star A'ja Wilson was involved in a tense exchange with a fan at Gainbridge Fieldhouse late in her team's Game 2 loss to the Indiana Fever in the first round of the WNBA playoffs.

And after the game, she didn't hold anything back.

"I've never seen A'ja Wilson go like that," Aces head coach Becky Hammon said after their 99-89 loss. "So whatever was done, I can tell you she felt very disrespected in that moment. I've never seen her really react like that, ever."

What happened on the play

The incident took place midway through the fourth quarter in Indianapolis, as Wilson tried to get past a screen from Sophie Cunningham . The two players got tangled up and Cunningham fell hard to the floor, drawing a personal foul.

But once play stopped and Wilson walked across the court, the Aces star suddenly erupted at a fan sitting behind one of the baskets. Several teammates and officials had to step in to hold her back.

It's unclear what the fan said to provoke the reaction, but Wilson was visibly upset. According to Fever reporter Tony East, the fan was briefly removed from his seat but returned shortly after and was seen celebrating with the people around him.

Wilson explains her reaction

After the game, Wilson gave her side:

"If I see a man come at me, taking steps toward me and pointing at me, I don't give a damn what you said. I don't give a damn how you said it, the tone, that is unacceptable," Wilson said after the game. "You don't know me to step toward me and point at me. I'm not for that s**t at all … That there is unacceptable. How he gets back in the game because they said he didn't do anything, of course he did."

After a lengthy review, Wilson was assessed a technical foul and Cunningham was called for a personal foul. Kelsey Mitchell missed the free throw for the Fever, while Wilson made both of hers. The sequence left Indiana up by nine with 4:10 to play .

Wilson said she apologized to her teammates for the technical but made it clear she doesn't regret her reaction.

"It's just certain things that I'm not going to allow anymore, because it's unacceptable," she said. "You don't know me at all to come and step toward me and point at me and say anything."

The Fever even the series

Despite the controversy, the Fever held on in the final minutes to win 99-89, even the series and force a decisive Game 3 on Thursday night in Las Vegas. The winner advances to the WNBA semifinals .

Caitlin Clark led Indiana with 27 points and 15 assists, shooting 9 of 18 from the field. Kelsey Mitchell added 26 points and Aliyah Boston chipped in 22. For the Aces, Jackie Young led all scorers with 31 points, while Wilson finished with 22 points and nine rebounds.

Wilson averaged 26.2 points and 9.4 rebounds per game this season , her ninth in the league. The four-time MVP, who won the award in each of the last two seasons, is once again considered one of the top candidates.