(Sports Correspondent: Imran Sohail)
Indiana Fever Stun Atlanta Dream to Reach WNBA Semifinals
The Indiana Fever pulled off a thrilling 87-85 victory over the Atlanta Dream on Thursday night, clinching their first playoff series win since 2015 and booking a spot in the WNBA semifinals.
Despite missing star rookie Caitlin Clark due to injury, the Fever closed the game on a 7-0 run to upset the No. 3 seed. Indiana will now face the Las Vegas Aces in the next round on Sunday.
Boston’s Game-Winning Basket
With just 7.4 seconds left, Aliyah Boston was left wide open under the basket after Brionna Jones slipped while chasing a loose ball. Boston’s easy layup gave Indiana an 86-85 lead, their first since the second quarter.
Moments later, Lexie Hull made a crucial defensive play, stealing the inbounds pass to deny Atlanta a chance at regaining control. Indiana then extended its lead at the free-throw line, while Jones’ desperation three-pointer at the buzzer missed the mark.
Fever’s Key Performers
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Kelsey Mitchell: 24 points (game-high)
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Aliyah Boston: 14 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists
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Odyssey Sims: 16 points, 8 assists
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Natasha Howard: 12 points
Dream’s Top Scorers
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Allisha Gray: 19 points, 12 rebounds (first playoff double-double)
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Jordin Canada: 18 points, 10 assists
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Rhyne Howard: 16 points
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Brionna Jones: 12 points
Atlanta, which hasn’t won a playoff series since 2016, looked strong early and reached 60 points midway through the third quarter. But Indiana’s late-game resilience, capped by Shey Peddy’s clutch three-pointer and a defensive stand, proved decisive.
