The Indiana Fever authored a tremendous upset and comeback 87-85 victory over the host Atlanta Dream on Thursday to take their first-round playoff series, two games to one.
Fever superstar Caitlin Clark, who is out for the remainder of the season due to injury, is naturally hyped.
Clark also gave a shoutout to Fever first-year head coach Stephanie White, who has calmly navigated a short-handed team that’s endured season-ending injuries to Clark, Aari McDonald, Sophie Cunningham, Sydney Colson and Chloe Bibby.
On Thursday, all five Fever starters scored in double digits, led by Kelsey Mitchell and her 24 points.
Odyssey Sims, an 11-year veteran, added 16 points, eight assists and three steals. She didn’t begin the season with the team (Sims was on the Los Angeles Sparks to start but was waived in July).
However, she joined Indiana after signing hardship contract in August after McDonald suffered a broken bone in her right foot, leaving the Fever with only nine available players on Aug. 9 against the Chicago Sky (a 92-70 win).
Aliyah Boston added 14 points, 12 rebounds and six assists, while Natasha Howard (12 points) and Lexie Hull (10 points).
Atlanta led 56-49 at halftime but went ice cold in the final two quarters, scoring just 29 points (including only 12 in the fourth). Still, the Dream led 85-80 after Rhyne Howard’s three-pointer with 2:32 remaining.
However, Atlanta wouldn’t score again.
Mitchell and Hull got buckets before Boston’s layup put Indiana up 86-85 with 7.4 seconds remaining. A Hull steal off Howard’s in-bounds pass eventually led to Sims going to the line for two. She made one with 1.2 seconds left, leading to a Dream timeout and advance to the 28-foot line.
Brionna Jones shot a three for the win, but it was off the mark.
Indiana now advances to the semifinals, where the Fever will play the No. 2 seed Las Vegas Aces.
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