The Indiana Fever have defied the odds, surging into the WNBA semifinals for the first time in a decade after a gutsy 87-85 victory over the Atlanta Dream in a winner-take-all Game 3 on Thursday night. With the win, the No. 6 seed Fever clinched their best-of-three first-round series 2-1, setting up a tantalizing best-of-five showdown with the mighty No. 2 seed Las Vegas Aces. The Aces, themselves fresh off a nail-biting 74-73 triumph over the Seattle Storm, will host Indiana at Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas for Game 1 this Sunday, September 21, at 3 p.m. Eastern Time (2 p.m. Central), broadcast live on ABC.
It’s been a season of adversity and resilience for Indiana. The Fever have weathered a storm of injuries, losing five players—including superstar Caitlin Clark, Aari McDonald, Sydney Colson, Sophie Cunningham, and Chloe Bibby—to season-ending setbacks, and recently seeing Damiris Dantas sidelined by a concussion. Yet, head coach Stephanie White’s message never wavered. “Internally, we take pride in everything that we do, and it’s not pressure but it’s opportunity,” White said. “We take every opportunity that we can to grow and to learn and this opportunity’s no different.”
Few would’ve faulted the Fever for bowing out early, especially facing a Dream squad that was fully healthy, boasted a 16-6 home record, and was riding a hot streak into the postseason. But Indiana’s blend of star power, savvy veterans, and unexpected contributors made the difference. Kelsey Mitchell, a three-time All-Star, set a franchise record with 19 points in the first half, dazzling from the right side of the floor. When Atlanta adjusted defensively in the second half, Indiana pivoted to Aliyah Boston, who delivered 11 points and five rebounds after halftime—including the game-winning basket in the waning seconds.
The decisive play was a microcosm of Indiana’s season: full of twists, grit, and teamwork. As the clock ticked down, Mitchell nearly lost the ball on a hand-off to Boston, but after a scramble, veteran Odyssey Sims, who joined the Fever on August 10, lobbed a pass to Boston in the restricted area. Boston’s layup sealed the deal. “This group has been through every situation imaginable,” White said. “It just takes a couple breaks to go your way.”
The Fever’s playoff rotation has been a patchwork masterpiece. Five of the nine players who suited up for Game 3 hadn’t played in the previous regular season meetings with Atlanta, and three were new additions. Rookie Makayla Timpson grabbed five rebounds, helping Indiana win the possession battle on a night when Atlanta shot a blistering 50 percent from the field. Shey Peddy may have struggled with her shot, but her clutch three-pointer in the fourth quarter kept the Fever within striking distance. Brianna Turner, the team’s defensive Swiss army knife, matched up with Brittney Griner inside and hounded perimeter shooters, grabbing four offensive boards—including a putback to tie the game at 80—and executing a crucial defensive play in the final seconds that led to a Lexie Hull steal.
Odyssey Sims, meanwhile, orchestrated the offense with a playoff career-high eight assists in her 37th postseason game, none bigger than her final pass to Boston. Aerial Powers provided critical shot creation, while veterans Natasha Howard and Sydney Colson steadied the team with their leadership. Howard, a three-time champion, has been a guiding force for the Fever’s new faces, while Colson, despite being sidelined, offered invaluable advice during crunch time. She was in Hull’s ear during the last timeout, prepping her for the defensive play that helped preserve the win.
White summed up her team’s ethos: “We say it pretty much ad nauseam, but it’s the resilience, the flexibility, the welcome and inclusive nature of this team, their selflessness to pull for the we over the me, the ability to let each teammate be who they are and shine at their best and to lift them up. In those moments, that’s good for 12-15 points. It is. You couple that with the resilience, the toughness, the grit, the fight, the scrappiness, and you always give yourself a chance.”
Indiana’s path to the semifinals is historic. Through three seasons of the current best-of-three first-round format, no lower seed had ever advanced—until now. In the 2024 postseason, lower seeds didn’t even manage a single win. This year, Indiana has flipped the script, emerging as a symbol of perseverance and belief.
Awaiting them are the Las Vegas Aces, a juggernaut with a 19-5 home record (including playoffs) and winners of 17 of their last 18 games. The Aces edged out the Seattle Storm in their own dramatic Game 3, setting the stage for a high-stakes semifinal clash. The series schedule sees the first two games in Las Vegas (Sunday, September 21, and Tuesday, September 23, at 9:30 p.m. ET on ESPN), before shifting to Indiana for Game 3 (Friday, September 26, time TBD, ESPN2) and, if necessary, Game 4 (Sunday, September 28, 3 p.m. ET, ABC). Should the teams split, a decisive Game 5 would return to Las Vegas on Tuesday, September 30.
Indiana holds a surprising edge in the season series, having won two of three meetings against Las Vegas. The Aces took the first matchup on June 22 (89-81) at home, while the Fever responded with victories at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on July 3 (81-54) and July 24 (80-70). However, Caitlin Clark, who poured in 19 points in the June 22 contest, is unavailable for the playoffs due to her right groin injury—a setback the Fever have managed to overcome with remarkable depth and adaptability.
As the semifinals tip off, all eyes will be on whether Indiana’s resilience and team-first mentality can withstand the Aces’ firepower and home-court advantage. The Fever’s journey has already made WNBA history, but the ultimate prize remains within reach. With their mix of youth, experience, and unshakable belief, Indiana’s story is far from over.
Game 1 is set for Sunday, and the action promises to be electric. Will the Fever continue their Cinderella run, or will the Aces’ dominance prevail? One thing’s for sure: this semifinal series is shaping up to be a must-watch for basketball fans everywhere.
