Atlanta Dream crushes Fever in WNBA Playoffs: Victory and defense!

Atlanta Dream Secures Playoff Victory Against Indiana Fever

The third-seeded Atlanta Dream secured a significant playoff victory by defeating the sixth-seeded Indiana Fever with a score of 80-68. This win marks the team’s first playoff victory since 2018. With the new WNBA playoff format, the best-of-three series moves to Indianapolis for Game 2. A win for the Dream would secure them a spot in the semifinals.

This is this group’s first home game in the playoffs. We knew we had to do well. We know it was our first playoff win and we are looking to have more.

Rhyne Howard

Despite teams like the Minnesota Lynx, New York Liberty, and Las Vegas Aces dominating the season, the Dream has proven to be a title contender. Under the direction of coach Karl Smesko, Atlanta achieved a record of 30 wins and a .682 winning percentage in the regular season, finishing with the second-best net rating in the league. The Dream consolidated their advantage in the second quarter, outscoring the Fever 22-12 to take a 40-33 lead at halftime. The second and fourth periods were decisive, with Atlanta leading by as much as 16 points.

I think the most important thing is our defense. Our defense is what really fuels our offense. Indiana is a great offensive team, and if you let them get hot, it can turn into a really ugly game.

Naz Hillmon

The Dream’s defense limited the Fever to just 68 points, their fifth-worst mark of the season. The Fever’s Kelsey Mitchell scored a career-high 27 points in the playoffs, but no other player on the team, apart from Odyssey Sims (10), reached double figures. Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray led the Dream with 20 points each. Atlanta also outscored Indiana in points in the paint (40-34) and second-chance points (18-10), contributing to their victory. Historically, teams that win Game 1 in a best-of-three series win the series 71% of the time.

We weren’t going to be satisfied with everyone saying, ‘Wow, they really improved from last year.’ That’s not what we’re trying to do. We’re trying to be the best team in the league. We’re trying to win the championship. We’re all aware of how difficult it is, because everyone is fighting for it. But we weren’t going to let a year go by without going for it.

Karl Smesko

On the other hand, the Fever, who began the season with championship aspirations, has faced adversity, including injuries that ended the season for Caitlin Clark and four other players. The Fever now need to win two consecutive games, including a possible Game 3 in Atlanta, to keep their season alive. Tuesday will mark the first home playoff game for the franchise since 2016.

I think you give yourself an advantage as the home team. When we got hit, we got hit hard. And we have to do the same [on Tuesday], and vice versa, to get our momentum and get that rhythm working fast and take off early.

Kelsey Mitchell