The Indiana Fever are heading back to the WNBA semifinals for the first time since 2015. Their 87-85 win over the Atlanta Dreamon Thursday wasn’t just about a clutch 7-0 runin the final minutes-it was about a team that refused to give in, even without superstar Caitlin Clark on the floor.
Clark, who only played 13 games before suffering a practically season-ending injury, never left the team’s side. As ESPN noted, she stayed active on the bench, encouraging teammates and helping guide a roster filled with youth and late-season replacements. Her absence could have sunk Indiana’s season. Instead, it seemed to make the Fever sharper, hungrier, and more connected.
The decisive Game 3 carried the weight of that resilience. Atlanta led by five with under three minutes to play, but Indiana stormed back. Kelsey Mitchell sank clutch free throws while Aliyah Boston muscled down key rebounds, sealing a comeback that pushed the Fever past the Dream and into the next round.
Indiana turns setbacks into strength
This run wasn’t supposed to happen. Along with Clark’s injury, Indiana lost Aari McDonald (broken foot), Sophie Cunningham (torn MCL), Sydney Colson (torn ACL), and Chloe Bibby (knee). That left head coach Stephanie White leaning on young stars and role players who weren’t expected to carry playoff weight.
Yet that’s exactly what happened. The Fever shot just 41.6% from the floor but made their mark at the free-throw line, hitting 17 of 24 attempts. Atlanta, despite shooting 50% overall, struggled with fouls and missed six critical free throws, according to the official WNBA.com box score. Those details made the difference in a two-point game.
Boston’s steady play inside and Mitchell’s leadership on the perimeter have become the blueprint for Indiana’s turnaround. As ESPN highlighted, the Fever’s chemistry and energy have kept them afloat in a season where they easily could have folded.
A new belief heading into the semifinals
The Fever now advance to face the winner of the Las Vegas Aces-Seattle Storm series in a best-of-five starting Sunday. They’ll be underdogs again, but that label hardly bothers a team that’s already outperformed expectations.
For Atlanta, the loss extended a playoff drought dating back to 2016. For Indiana, the night marked something much bigger: a reminder that the Fever’s future remains bright-even without Caitlin Clark.
Read the full article here
