ATLANTA – The Indiana Fever will return to Gainbridge Fieldhouse on the brink of elimination from the 2025 WNBA Playoffs.
Kelsey Mitchell’s 27 points weren’t enough for the Fever as the Dream took Game 1 in the first round series, 80-66, at Gateway Center Arena in Atlanta on Sunday afternoon.
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Here are three observations:
Second-half slump dooms Indiana Fever
Throughout the regular season, the Fever had issues with keeping momentum going in the second half. And that curse continued in the first playoff game.
Indiana kept its head afloat in the third quarter, with the two teams trading runs: Indiana started the third on a 7-0 run to tie the score, and Atlanta responded with a 7-0 run of its own. The Fever ended the quarter down just five points, outscoring the Dream by two in those 10 minutes.
The fourth quarter was the difference. As tensions started to boil over between the Fever and the referees, Atlanta went on a 9-0 run to start the fourth. During that Dream run, coach Stephanie White and point guard Odyssey Sims picked up technical fouls.
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That allowed the Dream to get a solid double-digit lead, giving them just enough of an advantage to take the first game of the series.
Fever missing size, physicality Damiris Dantas brings
Going up against one of the biggest and most physical teams in the league, the Fever were without one of their frontcourt staples Sunday afternoon.
Damiris Dantas, the Fever’s 6-4 backup at center, was ruled out for the game because of a concussion she suffered during practice Thursday.
“There’s hope (she can play Tuesday), depending on how quickly she can get through the stages,” White said Sunday. “I don’t know what the time frame for the stages are, but as we move forward, she’s a big, important part of what we want to do in the series, so hopefully she’ll be able to progress.”
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As an effective 3-point shooter, Dantas spreads out the offense when she’s on the floor. Opponents need to guard her when she’s on the 3-point line, which opens up the paint for her post teammates like Aliyah Boston and Natasha Howard.
Dantas can also take physicality well, especially going up against the Dream’s post duo of Brittney Griner (6-9) and Brionna Jones (6-4).
“It certainly impacts us having her ability and physicality defensively, and it also affects us offensively because of her ability to space the floor,” White said. “She’s really started to find it again from the 3-point line … it’s going to be a challenge without her.”
White did not specify how long Dantas will be out. Moving through concussion protocol is based on passing a series of stages, and that can take a different amount of time based on the severity of the concussion and the person’s ability to recover.
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Indiana Fever return to Gainbridge Fieldhouse on brink of elimination
The Fever will be playing for their postseason lives when they return to Indianapolis for Tuesday night’s Game 2.
Tuesday’s game will be the first playoff game the Fever have hosted since the 2016 season, Tamika Catchings’ final year in an Indiana uniform.
Chloe Peterson is the Indiana Fever beat reporter for IndyStar. Reach her at capeterson@gannett.com or follow her on X at @chloepeterson67. Get IndyStar’s Indiana Fever and Caitlin Clark coverage sent directly to your inbox with our Caitlin Clark Fever newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: WNBA playoffs Fever vs Dream: Indiana loses Game 1, gets 2 technical fouls
