WNBA playoffs: Fever eliminate Dream on late Aliyah Boston shot for 87-85 comeback win in Game 3

Aliyah Boston’s layup with 7.4 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter led the Indiana Fever to an 87-85 win in Game 3 of their series versus the Atlanta Dream, upsetting the WNBA’s No. 3 seed in the first round of the playoffs.

Odyssey Sims found Boston left inexplicably alone at the basket, hitting her with a pass from behind the 3-point line for the game-wining basket. That score finished off a comeback from an 85-80 deficit after Rhyne Howard hit a 3-pointer with 2:32 left in regulation.

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Kelsey Mitchell led Indiana with 24 points, shooting 3-for-6 on 3-pointers. Sims followed with 16 points and 8 assists. Boston finished with 14 points, 12 rebounds and 6 assists to lead the No. 6-seeded Fever.

The Fever finished the first quarter with a 29-27 lead, but the Dream took a 56-49 margin into halftime on 3-pointers from Brionna Jones and Rhyne Howard, followed by a layup by Canada with 6.5 seconds before the break.

Indiana cut its deficit to 73-69 at the end of the third, powered by six points from Natasha Howard and five by Boston. The Fever tied the score at 80-80 with 3:21 left in the fourth on a tip-in by Brianna Turner. After falling behind 85-80, Indiana went ahead 86-85 on baskets by Mitchell and Hull, then Boston’s go-ahead score.

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Allisha Gray scored 19 points with 12 rebounds to lead Atlanta. Canada added 18 points and 10 assists, while Rhyne Howard tallied 16 points.

Fever advance to semifinals without Caitlin Clark

The Fever made it to the playoffs despite star Caitlin Clark appearing in only 13 games while struggling through quad and groin injuries. Clark eventually announced she would miss the rest of the season with three games remaining in the regular season and Indiana qualifying for the WNBA playoffs.

Indiana returned to the playoffs last season after a seven-year absence, powered by Clark winning WNBA Rookie of the Year honors. However, the Fever were swept in the first round of the playoffs by the Connecticut Sun.

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That spurred an offseason full of changes with Stephanie White returning as head coach to replace Christie Sides. The team added Natasha Howard, DeWanna Bonner and Sophie Cunningham, building what looked like a potential powerhouse capable of competing with the Minnesota Lynx and Las Vegas Aces going into the 2025 season.

In addition to Clark, Indiana eventually lost Chloe Bibby, Sydney Colson, Sophie Cunningham and Aari McDonald to season-ending injuries. That led the team to sign Sims to a hardship contract and she provided a significant boost to the Fever, averaging 10.3 points.

“This group is just really special,” Fever coach Stephanie White said afterward. “We say it ad nauseum, but the resilience, the flexibility, the welcoming and inclusive nature of this team, their selflessness to pull for the we over the me and shine at their best, to lift them up, in those moments — that’s good for 12-15 points.

“I love riding with these guys,” she continued. “I love coaching them. And I’m just so incredibly proud of them.”

Atlanta’s dream season ends in first-round upset

Last season, the Dream finished with a 15-25 record and were swept in the first round of the playoffs by the eventual WNBA champion New York Liberty.

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Under new head coach Karl Smesko, the team overhauled its roster with veteran free agents Brittney Griner and Shatori Walker-Kimbrough, along with rookies Te-Hina Paopao and Shyanne Sellers. With the added depth and talent infusion, Rhyne Howard, Jones, Gray and Canada led the team to a significant turnaround with a 30-14 mark that earned them the No. 3 seed in the playoffs.

The Dream’s rebound will surely be appreciated after the sting of this first-round playoff upset — not to mention losing the decisive game on their home court — subsides.

“Just a devastating ending to a great game,” Smesko said after the game. “I give Indiana a lot of credit. They fought all the way to the last seconds, and unfortunately, they were able to make the final play.”

“Right now, it hurts,” he added. “We wanted to bring a championship to Atlanta, and that goal is delayed and it hurts because I had so much belief in this team.”

The Fever will face the No 2 seed Las Vegas Aces after they defeated the No. 7 Seattle Storm Wednesday night.