Indiana Fever’s Thrilling Comeback Falls Short Against Atlanta Dream
In a nail-biting finish at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, the Indiana Fever’s late rally fell just short as the Atlanta Dream secured a 91-90 win. According to a report by USA Today, the Fever trailed by 11 entering the final quarter but mounted an impressive comeback, sparked by Caitlin Clark and Lexie Hull’s three-pointers, to make it 80-76.
As reported by USA Today, the Dream subsequently worked their lead back up to nine with 4:33 to go, but the Fever found another gear, going on a 12-2 run led by Kelsey Mitchell’s seven points, which included the game-tying layup with 1:04 remaining. However, Atlanta’s Rhyne Howard was fouled by Mitchell with 9.1 seconds on the clock, and she made both of her free throws to seal the win for the Dream.
USA Today reported that Caitlin Clark finished with a game-high 27 points on 9-of-20 shooting, including a 5-for-11 mark on three-pointers, along with 11 assists, five rebounds, and two steals. Brittney Griner led the Dream with 21 points and eight rebounds, while Howard scored 20.
The game got off to a sizzling start, with the Dream tallying eight points before Indiana could get their second basket. As noted by USA Today, while the Fever did make a slight comeback in the middle of the quarter, the Dream eventually pulled away at the end, finishing the first ten minutes on a 13-7 run. Atlanta’s Brionna Jones led all scorers with 11 points at the end of the first quarter, while Clark had five for the Fever.
In the second quarter, Clark more than tripled her output, recording 11 points and sinking 2-of-3 shots from deep. USA Today stated that Clark had three triples on the night on five attempts, matching the Dream’s total three-pointers on less than one-third of the attempts.
The Dream’s bench has struggled throughout the game, with a combined -12 plus-minus rating. As USA Today pointed out, if the Dream starters are forced out of the game, Indiana might have an easy time securing the win in the second half.
USA Today also reported that the Fever will play the Atlanta Dream at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana, on Tuesday, with tip-off scheduled for 7 p.m. ET. The game can be watched on NBATV, MeTV Indianapolis, and PeachtreeTV (Atlanta), or streamed on WNBA League Pass.
The starting lineups for both teams were as follows:
- Atlanta Dream:
- Te-Hina Paopao
- Allisha Gray
- Rhyne Howard
- Brionna Jones
- Brittney Griner
- Indiana Fever:
- Caitlin Clark
- Kelsey Mitchell
- DeWanna Bonner
- Natasha Howard
- Aliyah Boston
As sourced from USA Today, this thrilling matchup showcases the competitive spirit of both teams and sets the stage for an exciting season of WNBA games.
