Thu May 22 03:10:00 UTC 2025: **News Article:**

**Dream Edge Fever in Physical Battle, White Anticipates Season-Long Trend**

INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Fever suffered a narrow 91-90 defeat to the Atlanta Dream on Tuesday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, a game marked by physicality that Fever coach Stephanie White expects to be a recurring theme throughout the season. White, who previously coached the Connecticut Sun and dominated the Fever last year, acknowledged the Dream’s aggressive approach, saying, “That’s going to be the M.O. against us all year long. Teams are going to be physical.”

The Dream, led by new coach Karl Smesko, capitalized on their veteran post players, Brittney Griner and Brionna Jones, who combined for 40 points and 21 rebounds. The victory was a strong response for Atlanta after their opening-night loss to Washington.

Despite the loss, rookie sensation Caitlin Clark continued her impressive performance, scoring 27 points and dishing out 11 assists. Aliyah Boston contributed 24 points and 10 rebounds, and Kelsey Mitchell added another 24 points. However, the Fever struggled at the free-throw line, making only 16 of 26 attempts, compared to the Dream’s 25 of 32.

Mitchell lamented the team’s lack of discipline and inconsistency, stating, “Our lulls were too low. They can’t be that low. We don’t have that margin for error.”

The Fever showed resilience, mounting a comeback in the fourth quarter and briefly taking the lead with 21.1 seconds remaining. However, Dream guard Rhyne Howard, who finished with 20 points, was fouled and sank two free throws to put Atlanta back on top. Indiana had a final chance to win, but Natasha Howard’s shot was blocked and a follow-up attempt missed.

Clark remained optimistic, viewing the loss as a learning opportunity for the team. “This is great for our team,” she said. “A little adversity, how are we going to respond? We have a chance to go there and play them [again]. We can get a little redemption if we go down there and play well.”

The Fever will travel to Atlanta for a rematch against the Dream on Thursday. The game has been moved to State Farm Arena, which seats nearly 17,000 fans, to accommodate the expected high demand driven by Caitlin Clark’s popularity.

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