Fever’s late effort advances them past Dream without Caitlin Clark

Indiana Fever Moves On to WNBA Semi-Finals

In a thrilling finish, Aliya Boston scored the decisive basket with just 7.4 seconds remaining, and Lexi Hull followed up by stealing an inbound pass, leading the Indiana Fever to an 87-85 victory over the Atlanta Dream on Thursday night. This win allowed Indiana, the sixth seed, to advance to the WNBA semi-finals for the first time since 2015.

Even without Caitlin Clark, who was sidelined due to injury, Indiana demonstrated resilience, capping off the game with a 7-0 run. They’re set to face the winner of the Seattle versus Las Vegas matchup on Sunday.

Boston, in a standout moment, hustled for a loose ball, quickly laying it up to give her team an 86-85 lead, showcasing a pivotal turnaround as they had been down 33-30 at one point during the second quarter.

On the other end, Rhyne Howard struggled to capitalize on crucial possessions in the waning moments of the game. Indiana’s Odyssey Sims hit one of two free throws, setting Atlanta up for one last chance, but Jones’s off-balance three-pointer at the buzzer didn’t find its mark.

Kelsey Mitchell led the Fever with 24 points, while Boston contributed 14 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists. Sims also shone with 16 points and eight assists, and Natasha Howard added 12 points.

For Atlanta, Alisha Gray was a force, posting a double-double with 19 points and 12 rebounds. Jordan Canada also had a strong showing, finishing with 18 points and 10 assists. Despite a strong effort, including a resurgence in the third quarter where they reached 60 points, Atlanta hasn’t advanced in the playoffs since 2016.