The Atlanta Dream enter the postseason with momentum, a franchise-record 30 wins, and the kind of depth that makes them one of the WNBA’s most dangerous teams. Their opponent, the Indiana Fever, arrive depleted but resilient, leaning on the star power of Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell to keep their season alive after injuries reshaped their rotation.
The first-round,, best-of-three series begins Sept. 14 in Atlanta. Game 2 shifts to Indiana, and if needed, the series will return to Atlanta for a decisive Game 3. The two teams split their four regular-season meetings, but both believe the postseason will demand a higher level of execution.
Atlanta and Indiana traded wins throughout the year, each showing stretches of dominance. The Dream claimed a one-point thriller on May 20 behind Rhyne Howard’s clutch scoring, but the Fever responded just two days later with an 81-76 victory. Atlanta won convincingly 77-58 in June, before Indiana answered in July with a 99-82 statement win.
Their playoff rivalry stretches back more than a decade. Between 2011 and 2013, the franchises met three straight years in the postseason. Atlanta advanced in 2011 and 2013, while Indiana prevailed in 2012 on its way to the franchise’s lone WNBA championship.
Atlanta’s Strength in Numbers
The Dream’s interior size and bench depth have been hallmarks of their success. Eight of Atlanta’s 12 players stand at least six feet tall, including 6-foot-8 Brittney Griner anchoring the second unit. Brionna Jones has been among the WNBA’s best rebounders, while Howard and Allisha Gray consistently stretch defenses on the perimeter.
Dream head coach Karl Smesko said the biggest key going forward will be cutting down on breakdowns that allow extra possessions.
“Second half we just had so many defensive breakdowns and give them credit, they were getting extra possessions and those extra possessions were turning into points just about every single time,” Smesko said after one of their regular-season matchups. “Valuing ending their possession—it’s not enough to force a tough shot, we got to come down with the ball.”
After the regular season finale against the Connecticut Sun, he admitted that composure will matter as much as tactics, especially in a playoff atmosphere where officials’ whistles can disrupt momentum. He said both he and his players need to stay locked in through those swings.
“I was frustrated by some [calls]. The players were frustrated by some. But in truth, you’re on the road—you can’t expect to get a lot of calls and we’ve got to do a better job. Me too, just staying focused in the moment and making the next play,” he said. “We can’t get caught up in officials’ whistles… we just have to be better at responding and making sure we make the next play.”
Brittney Griner has emphasized that mental toughness is as important as physical preparation at this stage of the season. She said postseason basketball requires every player to be sharp, no matter their role.
“You got to have all the focus going into the playoffs,” Griner said. “You’re not going to get calls like you did in the regular season. So you got to play, stay focused when things go out of whack, and pull everybody together. It’s going to take every single one of us, starters, bench, everybody. Playoffs are a different beast.”
Jordin Canada said the Dream’s biggest lessons have come from games where they lost their concentration. She noted that lapses, not schemes, often made the difference in losses to Indiana.
“Second half we just were laxidasical on a lot of things offensively and defensively,” Canada said. “We weren’t locked in and those are the little things BG talks about with having good possessions. Coach talks about only playoff possessions every single time we have the ball and on defense. We just got careless and rushed, but I don’t think it had anything to do with Indiana—I think it was just us not taking care of the possessions we needed to.”
Indiana’s Underdog Resilience
The Fever enter the postseason without Caitlin Clark, Sophie Cunningham, Aari McDonald, Sydney Colson and Chloe Bibby, in addition to already being undersized against Atlanta’s towering frontcourt.
Fever head coach Stephanie White didn’t sugarcoat the challenge, admitting her team faces a tough matchup against a Dream roster loaded with Olympians and veterans.
“I don’t feel like we match up well with [Atlanta],” White said earlier this season. “I mean, they’re tough to handle. Obviously, they’ve got a lot of Olympians, they’re quick and skilled on the perimeter, they’re big and strong and tough on the interior, they’re experienced.”
She pointed to Atlanta’s sheer size as a recurring problem for her team all year. She highlighted how the Dream’s depth creates mismatches everywhere on the floor.
“Their size at most all positions has been a challenge for us,” White said previously.
Boston said she has tried to approach this season with steady consistency, regardless of lineup changes. She believes her ability to remain levelheaded will be critical against Atlanta’s physical defense.
“For me, this whole season’s about being consistent, continuing to show up and do anything my team needs from me, and just staying levelheaded,” Boston said.
Mitchell said that confidence will be the Fever’s biggest weapon against Atlanta’s pressure and length. She said the team has prepared itself to play aggressively despite being undersized.
“The biggest thing is confidence,” Mitchell said. “For every time they try to crowd your space, you got to have confidence and preparation. More importantly, it’s about using our aggression to make plays for each other… Chemistry is big for us when we all get to play together.”
Prediction
Atlanta’s size, depth, and defensive discipline make them the favorite. The Dream can rotate multiple bigs without losing production, while Howard and Gray give them versatile scoring on the wing. Indiana’s chances hinge on Mitchell’s scoring outbursts and Boston’s ability to survive long minutes against an endless wave of Dream frontcourt players.
The Fever’s resilience has carried them this far, and they could steal a game in Indiana if Mitchell gets hot or if Boston controls the paint. But over the course of the series, Atlanta’s balance and rebounding edge should make the difference. The Dream are positioned to advance, with a sweep the most likely outcome.
