Despite losing Caitlin Clark earlier this season, the Indiana Fever defeated the Atlanta Dream to reach the WNBA semifinals for the first time in the past decade.
The Fever dismantled the Dream in Game 2 to force a do-or-die game in Atlanta. Although the lights were extremely bright for Game 3, they didn’t seem to bother Kelsey Mitchell. The All-Star guard had 24 points in an 87-85 victory. Odyssey Sims also stepped up for Stephanie White’s squad, scoring 16 points in 28 minutes of action. Aliyah Boston made a huge impact as well, finishing Game 3 with 14 points and 12 rebounds.
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“We say it pretty much ad nauseam, but it’s the resilience, the flexibility, the welcome and inclusive nature of this team, their selflessness to pull for the we over the me, the ability to let each teammate be who they are and shine at their best and to lift them up,” White said, via The Athletic. “In those moments, that’s good for 12-15 points. It is. You couple that with the resilience, the toughness, the grit, the fight, the scrappiness, and you always give yourself a chance.”
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) reacts to a call from the referee Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, during the game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The Dallas Wings defeated the Indiana Fever, 81-80.
Before the first round of the WNBA playoffs started, countless ESPN reporters, including Kendra Andrews, Myron Medcalf and Alex Philippou, had the Dream advancing to the semifinals.
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In fact, all nine of ESPN’s WNBA experts had the Dream defeating the Fever.
After the Fever punched their ticket to the WNBA semifinals, Clark posted a screenshot of every ESPN staff member’s prediction for the first round of the playoffs.
What’s next for the Fever?
The Fever will take on the Las Vegas Aces in the semifinals. They defeated the Seattle Storm in the first round thanks to an epic Game 3 performance from A’ja Wilson. The three-time MVP had 38 points in a 74-73 win.
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When the Aces and Fever met back on July 24, Indiana won that game 80-70. However, that was when Sydney Colson, Sophie Cunningham and Aari McDonald were healthy.
We’ll see if the Fever can keep their incredible playoff run alive in Las Vegas.
This story was originally reported by The Spun on Sep 19, 2025, where it first appeared in the WNBA section. Add The Spun as a Preferred Source by clicking here.