Fever vs. Dream: Indiana at the limit in playoffs, seeks comeback at home

Fever Seeks Revenge After Falling to Dream in Playoff Game 1

Amidst the Atlanta Dream’s celebration, to the rhythm of DJ Khaled’s “All I Do Is Win,” Indiana Fever stars Kelsey Mitchell and Caitlin Clark left the court following their Game 1 playoff series loss in the 2025 WNBA, with a score of 80-68. Clark, who did not participate in the game due to an injury that kept her out of the season since September 4, consoled Mitchell after her outstanding performance of 27 points, her best in the playoffs. Both players covered their mouths while conversing before Clark put her arm around Mitchell and went into the tunnel. The season hasn’t been as expected for the Fever. Clark, after a standout season as Rookie of the Year, joined four other players on the injury list, leaving the Indiana team on the verge of elimination in the first round of playoffs. However, the Fever is used to playing with the season on the line. This is the latest challenge they have faced in a season full of ups and downs. The team had to fight until the last day of the season to secure their place in the playoffs, surpassing the Los Angeles Sparks and Washington Mystics to earn their second consecutive postseason appearance. Players and coaches mentioned that many of the games in August and September were played with the urgency of a playoff game.

“This is a hungry group… you can see that they are hungry for success, that they want to keep growing and improving,” White said on September 5. “Other teams that might not be as strong culturally or be as resilient might have crumbled several times. And this group hasn’t.”

Stephanie White

The Fever hope this determination will propel them to a Game 3 victory in Atlanta, where they could secure their first playoff series win since 2015. Indiana has an advantage for Tuesday’s Game 2 (7:30 p.m. ET): thanks to the WNBA’s new first-round format, the Fever will play in front of their home crowd. Despite the absence of Clark, the fans’ favorite, Indiana averaged 16,560 fans per game, only surpassed by the Golden State Valkyries. The team has had to reinvent itself several times over the summer, with a roster very different from the one they built in January and February. First, DeWanna Bonner left after nine games, then came the injuries. Clark was limited to 13 games, and four other players were ruled out in the second half of the season. Injuries were never the main focus: Indiana still finished the regular season with a 24-20 record, earning the number 6 seed in the playoffs. An opportunity to keep playing, certainly. And also an opportunity for the Fever’s young core to gain more playoff experience, White said. The team also focused on incorporating championship-caliber veterans in the offseason, including Natasha Howard. Even their temporary players who eventually signed contracts for the rest of the season, Odyssey Sims, Aerial Powers, and Shey Peddy, have participated in the playoffs on multiple occasions. The Fever will need to channel that experience into an energetic response for Game 2, where they will seek to set the tone first, as Atlanta did to take control of Game 1. Mitchell pointed out the ways the Fever “shot itself in the foot” in Sunday’s loss. White lamented how the game was lost in the margins, a series of minor errors that turned into a double-digit defeat. The offense cooled at times, with only Mitchell (27 points) and Sims (10) finishing in double figures, and the team converting only 2 of 15 attempts from beyond the 3-point arc. The Fever couldn’t maintain its initial defense and allowed the difference to get out of control in the final quarter. Atlanta won the battle in the paint and in second-chance opportunities. Game 2 will be the team’s biggest opportunity to see if their strength is enough to keep their season alive. “We’re in every game,” Hull said. “We’ve seen in times when we’re not doing well or in games we’ve lost, it’s really things we can control. So, [it’s about] making sure we’re focused on all those things and fixing those little things because if we can put together 40 minutes, we feel like we can beat anyone in the league.”