The Indiana Fever ignited their playoff run with a commanding 77-60 victory over the Atlanta Dream in Game 2 of their first-round WNBA playoff series. The electrifying atmosphere of Gainbridge Fieldhouse, fueled by a roaring crowd sporting “Now You Know” t-shirts, propelled the Fever to a decisive win, forcing a winner-take-all Game 3 in Atlanta.
From the opening tip, the Fever maintained control. A crucial 10-2 run in the second quarter established a commanding 30-19 lead. Although the Dream briefly narrowed the gap early in the third, Indiana unleashed a dominant surge. A game-defining 7-0 run, culminating in a post-basket by Aliyah Boston followed by a steal from Shey Peddy, shifted the momentum irrevocably. Lexie Hull’s buzzer-beating three-pointer at the end of the third quarter extended the Fever’s lead to 59-44, effectively sealing the victory.
The Fever continued their dominance in the final quarter, stretching their lead to as many as 24 points. This resounding win marks the Indiana Fever's first playoff victory since the 2015 WNBA Finals, a testament to their resurgence and the team's cohesive performance.
Kelsey Mitchell led the Fever's offensive charge with 19 points and 4 assists, showcasing impressive accuracy from beyond the arc (4-for-8). Boston contributed a well-rounded performance with 15 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists, while Natasha Howard added 12 points and 5 rebounds. For the Dream, Te-Hina Paopao led the scoring with 11 points off the bench, Rhyne Howard contributed 10 points, and Allisha Gray had 9 points and 7 rebounds despite a challenging shooting night (4-for-16).
The stakes are now even higher as the series heads to Atlanta for a decisive Game 3 on Thursday night at 7:30 PM ET on ESPN2. The winner will advance to the semifinals to face the victor of the Las Vegas Aces-Seattle Storm series.
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Originally published at: https://fever.wnba.com/news/game-recap-fever-dream-250916
