The Indiana Fever walked into Atlanta dealing with lengthy odds, a battered roster, and a hostile crowd. Caitlin Clark, the franchise centerpiece, was sidelined. So have been Sydney Colson, Sophie Cunningham, Aari McDonald, Chloe Bibby, and Damiris Dantas, leaving the Fever with out 5 gamers who had all been counted on this season. The duty of profitable a winner-take-all playoff recreation on the street towards the No. 3-seeded Atlanta Dream appeared virtually not possible.
For a lot of the evening, the percentages appeared correct. the Fever railed by 5 with lower than three minutes to play. The Dream have been leaning on their depth, their star energy, and the power of a house enviornment desirous to see its group win its first postseason sequence in practically a decade. However what adopted was a defining stretch for a Fever group that has spent all 12 months discovering methods to outlive.
Aliyah Boston’s go-ahead basket with 7.4 seconds remaining gave Indiana its first lead because the second quarter. Lexie Hull’s steal on the following inbounds sealed it. And when Brionna Jones’ desperation heave fell quick on the buzzer, the Fever had surprised Atlanta 87-85 to advance to the WNBA semifinals for the primary time since 2015.
“This group has been by means of each state of affairs possible,” head coach Stephanie White stated. “We knew we simply needed to maintain it tight, we knew we needed to get stops. It simply takes a pair breaks to go your manner.”
Indiana closed the evening on a 7-0 run, erasing the deficit with a mixture of protection, poise, and opportunism. In a season the place accidents and setbacks by no means appeared to cease, the Fever as soon as once more proved their resilience on the largest stage.
Fever Defying the Harm Toll
The story of Indiana’s season can’t be informed with out its harm checklist. Clark, the Rookie of the 12 months runner-up and a transformative playmaker, went down weeks earlier. Colson, Cunningham, McDonald, Bibby, and Dantas all joined her on the sidelines. That left the Fever counting on a shortened rotation, the place veterans and younger gamers alike needed to increase their roles.
“This group is simply actually particular,” White stated. “The resilience, the flexibleness, the inclusiveness, the power to drag for the ‘we’ over the ‘me’—that’s good for 12 to fifteen factors. You couple that with toughness, grit, and struggle, and also you at all times give your self an opportunity.”
Kelsey Mitchell embodied that toughness from the opening tip. The eighth-year guard scored 19 of her 24 factors within the first half, maintaining Indiana shut regardless of Atlanta’s sizzling taking pictures. Odyssey Sims, some of the skilled gamers on the ground, added 16 factors and eight assists, whereas Natasha Howard contributed 12 factors and 6 rebounds.
After which there was Boston, the previous No. 1 total decide who has quickly grown right into a franchise cornerstone. Her stat line—14 factors, 12 rebounds, six assists, and nil turnovers—positioned her in uncommon firm. She turned simply the third participant in WNBA playoff historical past to file at the least 10 factors, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, and no turnovers, becoming a member of Asjha Jones (2007) and Vicky Bullett (1998).
THE INDIANA FEVER ARE HEADED TO THE SEMIFINALS!
Quick handed, the Fever received the sequence 2-1 over the Atlanta Dream 😳
With +6000 odds to win the WNBA Title, the, the Fever head again to the semifinals for the primary time since 2015
Can they go all the best way? #nowyouknow #wnba pic.twitter.com/iVm8sTNWLE
— Ballislife Bets (@BallislifeBets) September 19, 2025
A End to Keep in mind for the Indiana Fever
The ultimate minutes encapsulated Indiana’s identification. After Rhyne Howard buried a three-pointer with 2:32 left to provide Atlanta an 85-80 benefit, the Fever might have folded. As an alternative, Mitchell slashed for a layup off a Boston dish to chop the deficit. Then Hull, who has been each a starter and a job participant this season, drove for a basket with 43 seconds remaining.
Atlanta got here up empty on its subsequent journey, organising the decisive sequence. Sims drove into visitors, drew defenders, and located Boston alone underneath the rim after Brionna Jones fell whereas chasing a free ball. The layup put Indiana forward 86-85.
On the inbounds play, Hull’s instincts took over. She darted behind Jones and poked the ball free, stopping the Dream from organising a closing shot. Sims made one among two free throws, leaving Atlanta one determined likelihood with 1.2 seconds left. Jones’ off-balance three missed, and Indiana’s bench erupted.
“It was a gut-check recreation,” Mitchell stated. “You needed to dig deep and provides of your self in methods you least anticipate. We might have given up, taking part in them in Atlanta with the followers and so many elements. We didn’t. I wouldn’t play with every other group.”
Dream Denied Once more
For Atlanta, the loss was crushing. The Dream, who haven’t received a playoff sequence since 2016, appeared like they’d management after bouncing again from a 17-point Recreation 2 loss. Allisha Grey led with 19 factors and 12 rebounds, her first playoff double-double. Jordin Canada contributed 18 factors and 10 assists, whereas Howard scored 16.
Atlanta reached 60 factors halfway by means of the third quarter after managing solely 60 whole in Recreation 2. However when it mattered most, Indiana’s protection held. The Dream failed to attain within the closing 2:32, undone by turnovers and missed pictures.
“I can’t put it in phrases simply how we fought,” Howard stated afterward. “They went on runs, we went on runs, nevertheless it was our protection that saved us within the recreation. Thank God for Lexi getting that cease proper there, it was big.”
A Return to the Remaining 4
The victory carried particular which means for White and Howard, who have been each a part of Indiana’s final semifinal run a decade in the past. Again then, the Fever have been led by Tamika Catchings, and the franchise was a perennial contender. After years of shedding seasons, roster overhauls, and missed playoffs, Thursday evening represented a full-circle second.
“In 2015, that would have been our recreation proper there once we performed Minnesota,” Howard stated. “Seems like an entire 360 another time. I’m simply so excited we’re again right here with this group, and the job’s not accomplished but.”
For White, the win validated her group’s buy-in. All season, the Fever have heard exterior noise about what they lacked—Caitlin Clark’s absence, the pile of accidents, the notion that they have been a 12 months away from actually competing. But inside the locker room, White constructed one thing tougher to quantify: accountability, belief, and a collective perception that everybody had a job to play.
“Tasha is our vet,” White stated. “Her management all through has been unimaginable, in a season that’s had peaks and valleys. She’s skilled championships and all the things on this league. Her management is regular and so vital, and our group displays that.”
Right here it’s.
It’s about two minutes lengthy.
As quickly as Kelsey Mitchell stated she had 5 coaches in 8 years, it put all the things in perspective. https://t.co/OClGFMKdTw pic.twitter.com/kHFqGaai6F
— Meghan L. Corridor (@ItsMeghanLHall) September 19, 2025
Trying Forward
The problem now solely grows. Indiana advances to face the Las Vegas Aces, led by MVP favourite A’ja Wilson, in a best-of-five semifinal sequence starting Sunday. The Aces, the No. 2 seed, boast a roster stacked with stars and have received two of the final three titles.
But when the Fever’s Recreation 3 win proved something, it’s that expectation means little to this group. Whether or not undermanned or outmatched, they proceed to seek out methods to compete.
“I’ve had 5 coaches in eight years,” Mitchell mirrored. “I’ve been on the worst file groups right here with the [Indiana] Fever. I do know the place my profession began and what I’ve been by means of to be right here. I’ve by no means had a coach who’s poured into me like Steph has. For the primary time, I really feel somebody values what I carry as a participant and particular person. I’ll at all times love Steph for letting me be who I’m. I’ll by no means take it as a right.”
For the Indiana Fever, the journey is now not about what they don’t have. It’s about what they do: resilience, perception, and a group identification solid in adversity. Towards all odds, they’re nonetheless standing—they usually’re transferring on.
