In a playoff thriller for the ages, the Indiana Fever pulled off a stunning 87-85 victory over the Atlanta Dream on Thursday night, clinching their first WNBA playoff series win in a decade and booking a ticket to the semifinals. It was a night of high drama in College Park, Georgia, as Indiana—missing star rookie Caitlin Clark and several other key players—overcame adversity, foul trouble, and a late deficit to topple the No. 3 seed Dream in Game 3 of their best-of-three first-round series.
Aliyah Boston, the unflappable second-year center, delivered the game’s defining moment with a layup with just 7.4 seconds left, giving Indiana their first lead since early in the second quarter. The play was set up by Odyssey Sims, who found Boston inexplicably alone under the basket for the go-ahead score. That basket capped off a furious 7-0 run by the Fever to close the game, erasing what had looked like a sure Atlanta win just minutes earlier.
“This group is just really special,” Fever coach Stephanie White said after the game. “We say it ad nauseum, but the resilience, the flexibility, the welcoming and inclusive nature of this team, their selflessness to pull for the we over the me and shine at their best, to lift them up, in those moments — that’s good for 12-15 points. I love riding with these guys. I love coaching them. And I’m just so incredibly proud of them.”
Indiana’s comeback was all the more remarkable given the circumstances. The Fever trailed for all but seven seconds in the second half, and were down 85-80 after Rhyne Howard drilled a three-pointer for Atlanta with 2:32 left in regulation. But the Fever refused to wilt. A tip-in by Brianna Turner tied the score at 80 with just over three minutes to play, and after falling behind again, Kelsey Mitchell and Lexie Hull hit clutch baskets to bring Indiana within striking distance. Then came Boston’s heroics and Hull’s critical steal on the ensuing inbound, forcing Atlanta to foul. Sims split her free throws, giving the Dream one last shot with 1.2 seconds remaining, but Brionna Jones’ off-balance three-pointer at the buzzer fell short.
Kelsey Mitchell led the way for Indiana with 24 points, drilling three of her six attempts from beyond the arc. Sims was equally vital, contributing 16 points and eight assists, while Boston finished with a double-double of 14 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists. Natasha Howard chipped in 12 points for the Fever, who found ways to score even as injuries and foul trouble forced them to rely on a shortened rotation.
For Atlanta, the loss was a bitter disappointment after a season of transformation. Allisha Gray posted a double-double with 19 points and 12 rebounds, Jordin Canada added 18 points and 10 assists, and Rhyne Howard finished with 16 points. The Dream, who had rebuilt their roster in the offseason with the additions of veterans Brittney Griner and Shatori Walker-Kimbrough and rookies Te-Hina Paopao and Shyanne Sellers, finished the regular season with an impressive 30-14 record, earning the No. 3 seed in the playoffs. But their dream season came to a sudden end on their home floor.
“Just a devastating ending to a great game,” Atlanta coach Karl Smesko said. “I give Indiana a lot of credit. They fought all the way to the last seconds, and unfortunately, they were able to make the final play. Right now, it hurts. We wanted to bring a championship to Atlanta, and that goal is delayed and it hurts because I had so much belief in this team.”
The Fever’s run is all the more impressive considering the adversity they faced this season. After returning to the playoffs last year for the first time since 2016, only to be swept in the first round, Indiana made bold moves in the offseason. Stephanie White returned as head coach, replacing Christie Sides, and the front office added Natasha Howard, DeWanna Bonner, and Sophie Cunningham to bolster the roster. The team looked like a potential powerhouse, but injuries soon piled up. Caitlin Clark, the electrifying rookie and reigning WNBA Rookie of the Year, played only 13 games before quad and groin injuries ended her season. Chloe Bibby, Sydney Colson, Sophie Cunningham, and Aari McDonald also suffered season-ending injuries, forcing the Fever to sign Odyssey Sims to a hardship contract. Sims responded by averaging 10.3 points and providing invaluable leadership down the stretch.
Despite all the setbacks, Indiana’s depth and determination shone through in the playoffs. After dropping Game 1 of the series 80-68, the Fever bounced back with a 77-60 rout in Game 2, setting up Thursday’s winner-take-all showdown. The Dream led 56-49 at halftime and extended their advantage to 73-69 after three quarters, but Indiana’s relentless pressure and ability to draw fouls kept them within reach. By the end of the third quarter, the Fever had attempted 22 free throws, making 16, while Atlanta had managed just nine attempts from the line—evidence of Indiana’s aggressive, attacking mindset.
That physical approach paid dividends as multiple Dream players found themselves in foul trouble. Naz Hillmon, Brionna Jones, and Allisha Gray each picked up two fouls by the end of the first quarter, and both Gray and Jones had four by the end of the third. The foul situation forced Atlanta to play more cautiously, giving Indiana added freedom on offense and the ability to claw their way back.
With the win, Indiana advances to face the defending champion Las Vegas Aces, the No. 2 seed, in the semifinals on Sunday, September 21, at 3 p.m. Eastern. The Fever join the Aces and top-seeded Minnesota Lynx—who are seeking their fifth championship and first since 2017—in the final four, with the last semifinal spot to be decided between the Mercury and Liberty. The semifinals will be a best-of-five format, and for the first time, the WNBA Finals will be a best-of-seven series.
For the Fever, Thursday’s win marks a major milestone: their first playoff series triumph since the 2015 Eastern Conference Finals. After years of rebuilding, roster turnover, and heartbreak, Indiana has finally broken through—and they did it with grit, teamwork, and a flair for the dramatic. As the Fever prepare to take on the Aces, their remarkable journey continues, and the basketball world will be watching to see just how far this resilient squad can go.
