Aliyah Boston made a game-winning layup with just 7.4 seconds remaining, leading the visiting Indiana Fever to an exhilarating 87-85 victory over the Atlanta Dream on Thursday in College Park, Georgia. This significant win marks the franchise's first playoff series victory since 2015. The sixth-seeded Fever displayed remarkable resilience by scoring the last seven points of the game, overcoming a Game 1 loss to clinch the best-of-three series.
Kelsey Mitchell was the standout performer for Indiana, scoring 24 points, while Odyssey Sims contributed 16 points to the team's success. Aliyah Boston not only added 14 points but also dominated the boards with 12 rebounds. The Fever’s balanced offensive effort continued with Natasha Howard scoring 12 points and Lexie Hull chipping in 10 points. Next, Indiana will face the Las Vegas Aces, who secured their spot in the next round with a narrow 74-73 victory over the Seattle Storm later that same day.
For Atlanta, Allisha Gray led the charge with 19 points, followed closely by Jordin Canada, who recorded 18 points and 10 assists. Rhyne Howard also made a significant impact with 16 points, while Brionna Jones added 12 points to the Dream's tally. Despite leading by eight points late in the third quarter, the Dream were unable to hold onto their lead.
As the game reached its climax, Indiana was trailing by two points when Brianna Turner scored her first basket to tie the game at 80 with 3:21 left in the fourth quarter. Brionna Jones quickly responded with a layup, and Rhyne Howard knocked down a crucial three-pointer to push Atlanta ahead 85-80 with just 2:32 remaining. However, the Fever’s resilience shone through as Mitchell and Hull narrowed the gap to just one point.
After a missed three-pointer by Rhyne Howard, Sims found an open Boston under the basket for a layup that sealed the game for Indiana. In a dramatic turn of events, Hull intercepted Rhyne Howard’s inbound pass, and Sims managed to split a pair of free throws, leaving Atlanta with a final chance. Unfortunately for the Dream, Jones missed a three-pointer at the buzzer, ending the game in favor of the Fever.
Trailing by seven points at halftime, the Fever initiated the second half with an 8-1 run, highlighted by Boston’s layup that tied the game at 57 with 6:23 left in the third quarter. Despite a burst from Atlanta, featuring back-to-back baskets from Rhyne Howard that gave the Dream an eight-point lead at 73-65, Indiana was undeterred. A late layup from Canada sent Atlanta into the fourth quarter with a slim 73-69 advantage.
In the first quarter, Mitchell led all scorers with 11 points, propelling the Fever to a 29-27 lead. After a back-and-forth battle, Brittney Griner capped off a 9-3 run for the Dream with a three-point play, giving them a 46-40 lead with 3:47 left in the first half. Although Hull split a pair of free throws to reduce the deficit, Jones and Rhyne Howard each hit a triple, stretching Atlanta's largest lead of the first half to 54-46. Canada’s layup concluded the first-half action, giving the Dream a 56-49 edge heading into halftime.
