The Indiana Fever made history with a dramatic 87–85 comeback win over the Atlanta Dream in Game 3 of the 2025 WNBA Playoffs, securing their first playoff series victory since 2015. Aliyah Boston’s clutch layup with 7.4 seconds left and Lexie Hull’s game-sealing steal lifted the Fever into the WNBA Semifinals. Kelsey Mitchell poured in 24 points, while Boston delivered a huge double-double to lead Indiana past Atlanta on the road.
In this full recap and analysis, we break down every quarter, highlight key player performances, and dive into the SWOT and War Room strategy for both the Fever and Dream. Can Indiana’s resilience carry them against the defending champion Las Vegas Aces in the semifinals? Watch the full breakdown here!
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Disclaimer: This video may contain short clips of game footage used under fair use for commentary, analysis, and educational purposes. All rights to game footage belong to the WNBA and the respective copyright holders.
00:00The Indiana Fever stunned Atlanta on the road, closing on a dramatic run to win their first playoff series since 2015.
00:07And we've got the full breakdown.
00:09The Gateway Center Arena in College Park was electric on September 19th.
00:14The Atlanta Dream, the East's third seed, had the crowd behind them.
00:18But the Indiana Fever, the sixth seed, had history on their minds.
00:23They hadn't won a playoff series in a decade.
00:2594 tenths minutes later, they had done it.
00:28An 87-85 comeback win, capped by Aaliyah Boston's clutch layup with 7.4 seconds left.
00:35Sending Indiana to the semifinals for the first time since 2015.
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00:57Indiana opened the night with confidence.
01:00Kelsey Mitchell buried an early three, the kind of shot that silenced the crowd for a moment and reminded everyone why she's the Fever's heartbeat.
01:08Boston went to work inside.
01:10Odyssey Sims pushed the pace.
01:12And Indiana edged ahead 29-27 after one.
01:15Atlanta had settled into rhythm.
01:17But the Fever's energy made it clear this was going to be a fight.
01:21The second quarter belonged to the dream.
01:24Ryan Howard found her stroke from deep.
01:26Brianna Jones muscled her way to points in the paint.
01:30And Jordan Canada orchestrated with precision.
01:33Indiana's offense sputtered.
01:34And Atlanta surged to a 56-49 halftime lead.
01:38The Fever walked into the locker room trailing, but not broken.
01:42The third quarter was about survival.
01:44Natasha Howard scored six, Boston added five, and Indiana's defense tightened just enough to keep the game within reach.
01:52The dream still led 73-69 heading into the fourth, but the Fever bench was on its feet, sensing that the game was still there to be taken.
02:00The final ten minutes were chaos.
02:03Brianna Turner's tip-in tied the game at 80 with just over three minutes left.
02:07But Atlanta answered with a quick burst.
02:10Gray and Howard pushed the dream ahead 85-80, and the building shook as the home crowd sensed victory.
02:17Yet Indiana refused to fold.
02:20Mitchell drove hard for a bucket.
02:22Lexi Hull sprinted the floor for a transition score.
02:26And suddenly the margin was down to one.
02:28Then came a defining play.
02:29A scramble under the basket, Sims threading a pass to Boston, and the rookie-turned-leader laying it in with 7.4 seconds left.
02:37Indiana had its first lead since the second quarter.
02:40On the ensuing inbounds, Hull jumped the passing lane, stealing the ball and sealing the dream's fate.
02:46Sims added free throws.
02:48And when Brianna Jones' desperate three missed at the buzzer, the Fever bench stormed the floor in celebration.
02:54Mitchell finished with 24 points, including three triples, while Boston delivered a monster double-double with 14 points, 12 rebounds, and 6 assists.
03:04Sims added 16 points and 8 assists.
03:06Natasha Howard chipped in 12.
03:08And Hull's late steal became the signature defensive moment of the night.
03:12For Atlanta, Gray had 19 points and 12 rebounds, but needed 18 shots to get there.
03:18Canada posted 18 and 10 assists.
03:20Ryan Howard scored 16.
03:22And Jones added 12.
03:24Indiana's narrative was resilience, balance, and belief.
03:28Mitchell's scoring gave them a star's edge.
03:30Boston's double-double anchored both ends.
03:33And Sims' poise steadied the team in the storm.
03:35Their defense, embodied by Hull's steal, turned the tide when the game hung in the balance.
03:40Still, their weaknesses, the second-quarter drought nearly buried them, perimeter defense allowed Atlanta to hit timely threes, and turnovers threatened to swing momentum.
03:51But the opportunities are rich.
03:53Boston's 6 assists showed she can be more than a scorer.
03:56She can be the hub of the offense.
03:59Hull's confidence, born from her late-game heroics, could make her a two-way spark in the semifinals.
04:05And the bench, with Turner's hustle and timely contributions, proved it can deliver in big moments.
04:12The threats remain real.
04:13Fatigue with a shortened rotation, the challenge of facing Las Vegas on the road, and the scouting pressure that will now zero in on Mitchell and Boston.
04:22In Indiana's war room, the message is clear.
04:25This is the blueprint.
04:26Keep Mitchell aggressive early.
04:29Let Boston dictate inside-out play.
04:31Trust Sims to guide the offense in crunch time.
04:34And empower role players to step into the spotlight.
04:37Above all, lean into the identity that carried the mirror.
04:41Resilience, balance, and the refusal to back down.
04:44For Atlanta, the story was one of strengths undone by fatal flaws.
04:49Gray's rebounding and Canada's orchestration gave them control for long stretches, and Howard's perimeter shooting kept Indiana honest.
04:58But when the game tightened, their weaknesses surfaced.
05:01Gray's 19 points came on 18 attempts, a sign of inefficiency.
05:05Their late-game execution collapsed, with two failed inbound plays and no clear go-to-set in the final two minutes.
05:12Defensively, the laps that left Boston wide open under the rim will haunt them all offseason.
05:17The dreams' opportunities moving forward lie in diversifying their crunch time offense.
05:23Giving Breonna Jones more touches inside.
05:26And developing pow-pow into a consistent bench weapon.
05:29Yet the threats are clear.
05:31Another year without a playoff series win.
05:33The predictability of leaning too heavily on Gray and Howard.
05:37And the psychological toll of letting a home game three slip away.
05:41In their war room, the conversation will be blunt.
05:44They must learn to close, not just compete.
05:46That means drilling inbound sets until they're automatic.
05:50Designing late-game plays that create clean looks.
05:53And instilling the composure that deserted them when it mattered most.
05:57By the final buzzer, the Fever had done more than just win a game.
06:01They had rewritten their story.
06:03Their first playoff series win since 2015 came on the road in a clutch against a higher seed.
06:08It was a comeback, a statement, and a celebration all at once.
06:12And for the rest of the league, it was a warning.
06:15The Indiana Fever are back, and they're heading to the semifinals.
06:18If that video hit home or gave you something to think about, drop a like and let me know what you think in the comments.
06:29Don't forget to subscribe for more stories that bring the heart of sports to life.
06:34Until next time, stay inspired and keep chasing greatness.
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