Dream Deliver First Playoff Win Since 2018, Take Game 1 Over Fever

The Atlanta Dream opened their 2025 postseason in commanding fashion, earning an 80-68 victory over the Indiana Fever to take a 1-0 lead in the First Round series. With the win, the Dream not only secured their first playoff victory since 2018 but also improved their postseason home record to 1-0. Starting Jordin Canada, Allisha Gray, Rhyne Howard, Naz Hillmon, and Brionna Jones, Atlanta kept its momentum alive, moving to 1-0 in the postseason with that lineup.

It was a balanced effort across the board, with four players finishing in double figures. Howard and Gray each tallied 20 points, Hillmon followed with 16, and Jones added 12 to power the Dream’s offense.

Rhyne Howard, recently crowned Eastern Conference Player of the Week for the second straight week, delivered 20 points, six rebounds, two assists, and a steal while surpassing 100 career postseason points. Naz Hillmon, fresh off her AP Sixth Player of the Year honor, put together a breakout performance with postseason career highs across the board — 16 points, nine rebounds, three assists, and three blocks, while leading the team on the glass. Allisha Gray, named to the AP First Team earlier this week, scored 20 points with six rebounds, four assists, and one block, setting a new postseason career best with nine made free throws. Brionna Jones anchored the paint with 12 points, five rebounds, three assists, and three steals in 31 minutes.

The game opened with Indiana grabbing a 21-18 lead after the first quarter, but Atlanta steadied itself in the second behind timely scoring from Gray, Howard, and contributions off the bench from Te-Hina Paopao and Maya Caldwell. The Dream closed the half with a 40-33 advantage, staying perfect from the free-throw line at 8-for-8.

In the third, Howard connected on her second three-pointer and Hillmon hit a big triple to keep Atlanta in front. Despite a push from Indiana, the Dream entered the final period up 58-53. The fourth quarter, however, belonged entirely to Atlanta. Jones opened with a strong inside finish before Howard and Gray extended the lead at the free-throw line. Howard buried her fourth three-pointer of the night to spark a 17-7 run, and Hillmon capped it off with an all-around stretch that included a layup, free throw, assist, and a dagger three-pointer.

By the final buzzer, Atlanta’s efficiency stood out: the team shot 50% from deep, a flawless 100% at the line in the fourth, and an overall 90.5% from the stripe for the night. The Dream outscored Indiana 22-15 in the final quarter to seal the 80-68 win, sending Gateway Center Arena into a frenzy.

With the victory, Atlanta takes a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series and sits one win away from advancing. For Dream fans, it’s more than just a playoff victory — it’s proof that this team is ready to keep rewriting the franchise’s postseason story.

Next, the Dream will head to Indianapolis to face the Fever on Tuesday, September 16 for Game 2 of the First Round.