The Indiana Fever walked into Atlanta facing long odds, a battered roster, and a hostile crowd. Caitlin Clark, the franchise centerpiece, was sidelined. So were Sydney Colson, Sophie Cunningham, Aari McDonald, Chloe Bibby, and Damiris Dantas, leaving the Fever without five players who had all been counted on this season. The task of winning a winner-take-all playoff game on the road against the No. 3-seeded Atlanta Dream seemed almost impossible.
For much of the night, the odds looked accurate. the Fever railed by five with less than three minutes to play. The Dream were leaning on their depth, their star power, and the energy of a home arena eager to see its team win its first postseason series in nearly a decade. But what followed was a defining stretch for a Fever group that has spent all year finding ways to survive.
Aliyah Boston’s go-ahead basket with 7.4 seconds remaining gave Indiana its first lead since the second quarter. Lexie Hull’s steal on the ensuing inbounds sealed it. And when Brionna Jones’ desperation heave fell short at the buzzer, the Fever had stunned Atlanta 87-85 to advance to the WNBA semifinals for the first time since 2015.
“This group has been through every situation imaginable,” head coach Stephanie White said. “We knew we just had to keep it tight, we knew we had to get stops. It just takes a couple breaks to go your way.”
Indiana closed the night on a 7-0 run, erasing the deficit with a mix of defense, poise, and opportunism. In a season where injuries and setbacks never seemed to stop, the Fever once again proved their resilience on the biggest stage.
Fever Defying the Injury Toll
The story of Indiana’s season cannot be told without its injury list. Clark, the Rookie of the Year runner-up and a transformative playmaker, went down weeks earlier. Colson, Cunningham, McDonald, Bibby, and Dantas all joined her on the sidelines. That left the Fever relying on a shortened rotation, where veterans and young players alike had to expand their roles.
“This group is just really special,” White said. “The resilience, the flexibility, the inclusiveness, the ability to pull for the ‘we’ over the ‘me’—that’s good for 12 to 15 points. You couple that with toughness, grit, and fight, and you always give yourself a chance.”
Kelsey Mitchell embodied that toughness from the opening tip. The eighth-year guard scored 19 of her 24 points in the first half, keeping Indiana close despite Atlanta’s hot shooting. Odyssey Sims, one of the most experienced players on the floor, added 16 points and eight assists, while Natasha Howard contributed 12 points and six rebounds.
And then there was Boston, the former No. 1 overall pick who has rapidly grown into a franchise cornerstone. Her stat line—14 points, 12 rebounds, six assists, and zero turnovers—placed her in rare company. She became just the third player in WNBA playoff history to record at least 10 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, and no turnovers, joining Asjha Jones (2007) and Vicky Bullett (1998).
THE INDIANA FEVER ARE HEADED TO THE SEMIFINALS!
— Ballislife Bets (@BallislifeBets) September 19, 2025
Short handed, the Fever won the series 2-1 over the Atlanta Dream 😳
With +6000 odds to win the WNBA Title, the, the Fever head back to the semifinals for the first time since 2015
Can they go all the way? #nowyouknow #wnba pic.twitter.com/iVm8sTNWLE
A Finish to Remember for the Indiana Fever
The final minutes encapsulated Indiana’s identity. After Rhyne Howard buried a three-pointer with 2:32 left to give Atlanta an 85-80 advantage, the Fever could have folded. Instead, Mitchell slashed for a layup off a Boston dish to cut the deficit. Then Hull, who has been both a starter and a role player this season, drove for a basket with 43 seconds remaining.
Atlanta came up empty on its next trip, setting up the decisive sequence. Sims drove into traffic, drew defenders, and found Boston alone under the rim after Brionna Jones fell while chasing a loose ball. The layup put Indiana ahead 86-85.
On the inbounds play, Hull’s instincts took over. She darted behind Jones and poked the ball free, preventing the Dream from setting up a final shot. Sims made one of two free throws, leaving Atlanta one desperate chance with 1.2 seconds left. Jones’ off-balance three missed, and Indiana’s bench erupted.
“It was a gut-check game,” Mitchell said. “You had to dig deep and give of yourself in ways you least expect. We could have given up, playing them in Atlanta with the fans and so many factors. We didn’t. I wouldn’t play with any other group.”
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Dream Denied Again
For Atlanta, the loss was crushing. The Dream, who have not won a playoff series since 2016, looked like they had control after bouncing back from a 17-point Game 2 loss. Allisha Gray led with 19 points and 12 rebounds, her first playoff double-double. Jordin Canada contributed 18 points and 10 assists, while Howard scored 16.
Atlanta reached 60 points midway through the third quarter after managing only 60 total in Game 2. But when it mattered most, Indiana’s defense held. The Dream failed to score in the final 2:32, undone by turnovers and missed shots.
“I can’t put it in words just how we fought,” Howard said afterward. “They went on runs, we went on runs, but it was our defense that kept us in the game. Thank God for Lexi getting that stop right there, it was huge.”
A Return to the Final Four
The victory carried special meaning for White and Howard, who were both part of Indiana’s last semifinal run a decade ago. Back then, the Fever were led by Tamika Catchings, and the franchise was a perennial contender. After years of losing seasons, roster overhauls, and missed playoffs, Thursday night represented a full-circle moment.
“In 2015, that could have been our game right there when we played Minnesota,” Howard said. “Feels like a whole 360 all over again. I’m just so excited we’re back here with this group, and the job’s not done yet.”
For White, the win validated her team’s buy-in. All season, the Fever have heard outside noise about what they lacked—Caitlin Clark’s absence, the pile of injuries, the perception that they were a year away from truly competing. Yet within the locker room, White built something harder to quantify: accountability, trust, and a collective belief that everyone had a role to play.
“Tasha is our vet,” White said. “Her leadership throughout has been incredible, in a season that’s had peaks and valleys. She’s experienced championships and everything in this league. Her leadership is steady and so important, and our team reflects that.”
Here it is.
— Meghan L. Hall (@ItsMeghanLHall) September 19, 2025
It’s about two minutes long.
As soon as Kelsey Mitchell said she had 5 coaches in 8 years, it put everything in perspective. https://t.co/OClGFMKdTw pic.twitter.com/kHFqGaai6F
Looking Ahead
The challenge now only grows. Indiana advances to face the Las Vegas Aces, led by MVP favorite A’ja Wilson, in a best-of-five semifinal series beginning Sunday. The Aces, the No. 2 seed, boast a roster stacked with stars and have won two of the last three titles.
But if the Fever’s Game 3 win proved anything, it’s that expectation means little to this group. Whether undermanned or outmatched, they continue to find ways to compete.
“I’ve had five coaches in eight years,” Mitchell reflected. “I’ve been on the worst record teams here with the [Indiana] Fever. I know where my career started and what I’ve been through to be here. I’ve never had a coach who’s poured into me like Steph has. For the first time, I feel someone values what I bring as a player and person. I’ll always love Steph for letting me be who I am. I’ll never take it for granted.”
For the Indiana Fever, the journey is no longer about what they don’t have. It’s about what they do: resilience, belief, and a team identity forged in adversity. Against all odds, they’re still standing—and they’re moving on.
