Angel Reese powered Atlanta with 21 points and 11 rebounds, and the Dream held on for a 108-101 road win over the Indiana Fever on Thursday night. Jordin Canada added 18 points, while Naz Hillmon, Allisha Gray, and Rhyne Howard all joined the double-digit scoring surge for Atlanta.
The game tightened late after Indiana erased a 13-point second-half deficit and tied it at 93 on Sophie Cunningham’s layup with 5:07 remaining. Kelsey Mitchell started that 9-0 run and finished with 26 points, matching Caitlin Clark, while Aliyah Boston added 23 points and eight rebounds.
Atlanta’s Late Response
Atlanta answered Indiana’s push by capitalizing on a late turnover and then getting key baskets from Howard. The Dream turned the Fever’s 17th turnover into a fast-break layup for a 99-95 lead with 2:08 left, then Howard scored on the next two possessions to stretch the margin to 103-97.
Reese closed the game with a layup while being fouled and completed the three-point play with 23.1 seconds left. She played the entire second half without another foul after being called for four in the first half, and Atlanta used a 19-11 run after her early second-quarter exit to build a 58-49 halftime lead.
Clark’s Signature Shoe Debut
Clark also drew attention by wearing her new signature shoes in game action after Nike announced the “Caitlin 1” would release this fall. The racer blue shoes with her initials on the tongue did not stay in the spotlight for long, though, after Clark picked up her fifth foul with 8:41 left in the fourth quarter.
She returned with 3:28 remaining and Indiana down 95-93, but did not attempt another shot in the final frame. Clark finished 8 of 17 from the floor with two made 3-pointers, and before the game she said she was excited about the shoe reveal, telling reporters, “I think even yesterday, like knowing I was going to post that early in the morning, I didn’t sleep very well because I was just so excited.”
What It Means Next
Atlanta improved to 10-4, while Indiana fell to 9-6 after a game that swung sharply in the closing minutes. The teams meet again in Atlanta on Saturday, giving the Fever a quick chance to answer a loss that featured a milestone 3-pointer for Mitchell and another strong all-around showing from the Dream’s starters.