Dream Fall to Fever 83-71 as Offensive Struggles Continue in Indiana

The Atlanta Dream had an opportunity to build momentum following Tuesday’s impressive win over Connecticut. Instead, the Indiana Fever had the answers.

Atlanta struggled to find offensive rhythm for much of the night and fell 83-71 to the Fever Thursday evening at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The loss drops the Dream to 6-3 on the season and 1-1 in Commissioner’s Cup play.

For Head Coach Karl Smesko, the issues started with the Dream’s offensive execution.

“At the beginning of the game, we’re taking some really tough shots, but we’re dribbling too much, the ball’s moving too little, and the quality of our screening is just not very good right now,” Smesko said.

The Dream started Jordin Canada, Allisha Gray, Rhyne Howard, Naz Hillmon and Angel Reese, a lineup that entered the night with a 6-1 record together. Atlanta kept things close early as both teams finished tied at 15 after the opening quarter.

But Indiana found another gear in the second period.

The Fever outscored Atlanta 23-14 in the quarter and carried a 38-29 advantage into halftime. The Dream offense never found the same rhythm it displayed two nights earlier against Connecticut when Atlanta exploded for 50 first-half points.

Against Indiana, Atlanta managed just 29 points in the opening half.

The struggles were evident from the perimeter as the Dream finished the night shooting a season-low 34.3 percent from the floor and just 28.6 percent from three-point range.

“We have to start working together to create better shots instead of relying on one-on-one play,” Smesko said.

Despite the offensive struggles, Atlanta came out of the locker room fighting.

Allisha Gray immediately took control of the offense, scoring seven of Atlanta’s first nine points of the second half. Her aggressive play helped the Dream erase much of the deficit and gave Atlanta life.

The momentum continued when Naz Hillmon knocked down a three-pointer with 5:28 remaining in the third quarter, giving Atlanta its first lead of the second half at 43-42.

For a moment, it appeared the Dream were ready to steal control.

Then Indiana responded.

Caitlin Clark answered immediately with a three-pointer and followed it with two assists during a pivotal stretch that swung momentum back toward the Fever. Indiana continued attacking and eventually pushed its lead to double digits.

Kelsey Mitchell proved to be the biggest problem for Atlanta all night.

The Fever guard finished with a game-high 25 points and repeatedly delivered when Indiana needed a basket.

“I think she’s just really hard to guard, and she had a great night tonight, unfortunately,” Smesko said. “It seemed like every time they needed a big basket, she was there for them.”

Mitchell’s scoring, combined with Indiana’s efficient shooting, helped the Fever build a 62-51 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

Atlanta attempted one final push.

Angel Reese converted two free throws midway through the fourth quarter to trim the deficit to nine points. Later, rookie Isobel Borlase added a layup that again cut the lead to single digits.

That was as close as the Dream would get.

Indiana continued making shots while Atlanta struggled to string together stops and consistent offense.

The Fever shot 50 percent from the floor and knocked down 11 of their 22 three-point attempts, making it difficult for Atlanta to complete another comeback.

While the result wasn’t what the Dream wanted, there were still several individual bright spots.

Gray and Jordin Canada led Atlanta with 13 points each. Canada also added seven assists and two steals while continuing to serve as the team’s floor general.

Hillmon reached an important career milestone during the game. Following her 11th point of the night, she eclipsed 1,000 career points and finished with 12 points and five rebounds.

Reese recorded her sixth double-double of the season with 11 points, 10 rebounds, three assists and two blocks. The second-year star continues to impact games in multiple ways even when the offense isn’t clicking.

Rhyne Howard contributed eight points, four rebounds and three steals while continuing to battle through defensive attention from opposing teams. Howard also reached another milestone, recording her 500th career assist during the contest.

Atlanta also received valuable minutes from rookie Madina Okot off the bench. The rookie center finished with seven points, three rebounds and a block while providing energy and physicality in limited minutes.

The loss serves as a reminder of how slim the margin for error can be against talented opponents.

“Sometimes, when you’re not shooting it well, or you don’t finish around the rim well, you let it affect other parts of the game, and that’s something you can’t afford to do when you’re not making shots,” Smesko said.

“It was a tough one, but we have a quick turnaround,” Hillmon said. “We have to figure out ways to be better in our next game, and that’s exactly what we expect to do.”

Next up, the Dream now return home looking to regroup quickly  for another Commissioner’s Cup matchup as they host the Washington Mystics on Saturday, June 6, at Gateway Center Arena.

Atlanta looks to bounce back from Thursday’s loss and improve upon its 1-1 Commissioner’s Cup record. The Dream have shown throughout the season an ability to respond after setbacks, and Saturday presents another opportunity to get back in the win column in front of the home crowd. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. ET.