Wire-to-Wire! Indiana Fever Crush Atlanta Dream in Game 2 | 2025 WNBA Playoffs

The Indiana Fever ended a nine-year playoff drought in spectacular fashion, defeating the Atlanta Dream 77–60 in front of a roaring Gainbridge Fieldhouse crowd. Kelsey Mitchell led with 19 points, Aliyah Boston added 15, and NaLyssa Smith and Lexie Hull delivered clutch plays to keep Indiana in control. From start to finish, the Fever never trailed — earning their first wire-to-wire playoff victory since 2002 and their first postseason win since 2015.

Atlanta struggled with foul trouble and cold shooting, as Rhyne Howard and Aari McDonald tried to spark a comeback but couldn’t overcome Indiana’s relentless defense. Fresh energy, a hungry crowd, and stifling defense set the tone as the Fever forced a decisive Game 3.

Watch our full recap, breakdown, and SWOT analysis as we dive into how the Fever pulled off this historic win — and what it means for Game 3 of the 2025 WNBA Playoffs.

👉 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more WNBA playoff breakdowns, Indiana Fever recaps, and in-depth basketball analysis.

Disclaimer: This video contains game footage used under fair use for news reporting, analysis, and commentary. All rights belong to the WNBA and respective copyright holders.

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Transcript

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

05:24about, drop a like and let me know what you think in the comments. Don't forget to subscribe for more

05:30stories that bring the heart of sports to life. Until next time, stay inspired and keep chasing greatness.

Wire-to-Wire! Indiana Fever Crush Atlanta Dream in Game 2 | 2025 WNBA Playoffs

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