Follow us on Google Discover Angel Reese and the Atlanta Dream are seemingly ruining one playoff dream for Caitlin Clark’s Indiana Fever.
Heading into the mid-season break due to the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup, the Atlanta Dream and the Indiana Fever were neck-and-neck in the WNBA standings.
Post return, the Dream have continued their elite form by registering back-to-back wins, but the same cannot be said for the Fever following the team’s blowout defeat against the Washington Mystics.
The Fever have now dropped to a 27-15 record as the Dream have created a 1.5-game lead in the standings. This is likely to cause problems for the Fever come playoff time.
Photo by Marcin Golba/NurPhoto via Getty ImagesMonica McNutt explains how the Atlanta Dream are ruining Caitlin Clark and Indiana Fever’s playoff advantage
As things stand, both teams have clinched a spot in the postseason. In fact, they are likely to meet in the first round of the playoffs.
But with the Dream holding the fourth seed, this will mean Caitlin Clark’s Fever will enter the playoffs without home-court advantage, and Monica McNutt credits Angel Reese for this potential issue.
“I think this will be a thrilling matchup, no doubt. I mentioned that they are tied in terms of their matchups during the course of the regular season and that last one required overtime.
“… I think, if I understand this correctly, the Dream would have home-court advantage. … I think that gives you an advantage,” McNutt said.
She added, “I also think that the Dream are a unique matchup for the Fever in that they have multiple bodies they can throw at Kelsey Mitchell. And statistically, over the course of the regular season, they have made Caitlin Clark’s life pretty challenging.
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“… We talk about Atlanta’s versatility on defense. I give them a slight edge.”
So, not only have the Dream proven to be a difficult matchup for the Fever, they may hold the home-court advantage in the much-anticipated Clark vs. Reese battle in the playoffs.
Considering this will be the two stars’ first meeting in the playoffs, it may give an advantage to Reese, who has been in terrific form since her Team USA stint.
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