00:00The Indiana Fever ended a nine-year wait in style, dominating Atlanta in front of a roaring home
00:05crowd. And we got the full breakdown. The Game Bridge Fieldhouse crowd had been waiting nine
00:11long years for this home playoff game. On September 16, 2025, the wait ended in a roar.
00:18Indiana came out blazing, feeding off a raucous Game Bridge crowd that hadn't seen playoff
00:23basketball in nearly a decade, trailing zero to one in a series after a frustrating loss in Atlanta.
00:28The Fever knew their season was on the line. From the opening tip, they played like a team
00:34unwilling to let history repeat itself. And in the end, they delivered wire-to-wire victory,
00:40their first postseason win since 2015. Welcome to Jintotsky Sports, your spot for all things sports.
00:48From legendary moments in big-time plays to inspiring stories and deep dives,
00:52we bring you the content that keeps the game alive. If you love sports as much as we do,
00:58hit that subscribe button and let's get into it. Mitchell buried an early three, a crowd igniter
01:05that set the tone. Boston sealed defenders inside and Howard patrolled the paint. Atlanta looked
01:12unsettled with Gray picking up quick fouls. Indiana's defense held the Dream to 14 points
01:18and the Fever led 20-14 after one. The Dream had worked to do to settle into rhythm, but the Fever's energy
01:25set the tone early. Atlanta tried to steady themselves. Griner scored on a hook. Pow Pow provided a spark off the
01:33bench. But Sims controlled tempo, finding Howard on a cut and hull for a corner three. Indiana went on a 10-2 run
01:41to stretch the lead to 30-19. Gray hit a late three to trim it to 35-29 at halftime. The Dream made their
01:49push. Ryan Howard attacked the rim. Pow Pow hit a jumper. And suddenly it was 40-37. Indiana answered.
01:58Mitchell hit a pull-up. Boston scored on a drop step. Howard added a putback. Then in the final seconds,
02:05Lexi Hull drilled a three to punctuate a 7-0 run. The Fever led 59-44 heading into the fourth.
02:13The crowd was on its feet, sensing a knockout blow in the final 10 minutes. Indiana opened with an 8-0
02:20burst capped by Sims 3. The lead ballooned to 67-44. Atlanta's body language sagged. Gray, frustrated,
02:28picked up another foul and later clashed briefly with fans. Pow Pow hit a pair of threes,
02:34but every answer was met with a fever reply. A Howard layup, a Boston putback, another Mitchell
02:41dagger. The Fever closed out a 77-60 win, their first wire-to-wire playoff victory since 2002.
02:48Mitchell finished with 19 points and 4 assists, hitting 4 triples. Boston added 15 points,
02:545 rebounds and 3 assists. Howard chipped in 12 and 5. Sims orchestrated with poise,
03:01and Hull's late three was a dagger. For Atlanta, Pow Pow led with 11 off the bench.
03:07Ryan Howard at 10, while Gray struggled with 9 points on 4-for-1-6 shooting.
03:12Griner chipped in 7 points, 2 assists and a rebound. Indiana's strengths were clear.
03:18Mitchell's perimeter scoring, Boston's inside-out versatility, Howard's two-way impact,
03:23and a defense that held Atlanta 25 points below their average. Weaknesses were minor. A few
03:29turnover stretches and lapses on drives. Opportunities lie in diversifying offense
03:35through Boston's passing, expanding Howard's mismatch role, and leaning on Sims to steady
03:41second units. Threats remain depth and fatigue, especially without Clark and Cunningham. In their
03:47war room, the fever will emphasize replicating this defensive blueprint in Game 3. Aggressive
03:53closeouts, early help on drives, and forcing contested jumpers. Offensively, Mitchell and
03:59Boston remain the twin engines, with Howard as the third option and bench contributions critical on
04:05the road. Atlanta's strengths were muted but visible. Pay-a-pay-o's spark off the bench,
04:10Ryan Howard's creation, and Griner's interior touches gave them moments. But weaknesses define the
04:16night. Gray's foul trouble in 4-for-1-6 shooting, stagnant ball movement, and defensive lapses.
04:23Opportunities lie in leaning more on pay-a-pay-os, perimeter shooting, freeing Howard with off-ball
04:28actions, and using Griner as a facilitator. Threats are over-reliance on isolation, inconsistency
04:35against balanced teams, and the weight of not having won a playoff series since 2016. In their war
04:41room, the dream will stress sharper spacing, quicker ball movement, and defensive variety
04:46against Mitchell. Above all, they must start faster. Chasing from behind in a hostile arena
04:52proved fatal. By the final buzzer, the Fever had done more than just win a playoff game.
04:58They had exorcised ghosts of the past. Their first postseason victory since 2015 was a reminder of
05:04how far they've come, and how dangerous they can be when their stars are in sync. And for Indiana,
05:09it was history, a wire-to-wire triumph that reignited belief, and reminded the WNBA that the Indiana
05:17Fever are back.
05:18Thanks for watching Jintatsuki Sports. If that video hit home or gave you something to think
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05:30stories that bring the heart of sports to life. Until next time, stay inspired and keep chasing greatness.
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