Fever and Dream Clash in 2025 WNBA Playoff Opener
The stage is set for Sunday afternoon in Atlanta, where the Indiana Fever will open their 2025 WNBA playoff run against the Atlanta Dream. It’s Game 1 of a best-of-three first-round series, and fans are buzzing with excitement. The matchup will be played at Gateway Center Arena at 3 p.m. ET, with national coverage on ABC and local radio carrying every moment.
For the Fever, this playoff berth feels especially meaningful. Despite being hit hard by injuries — losing five players to season-ending setbacks — the team managed to battle through and secure a postseason spot for the second straight year. That resilience was fueled by the outstanding play of their two stars, Kelsey Mitchell and Aliyah Boston. Mitchell, recently named to the AP All-WNBA First Team, was electric all season long, averaging just over 20 points per game, which ranked third in the league. Boston, meanwhile, showed her versatility with 15 points, 8 rebounds, and nearly 4 assists per game. Together, they’ve carried Indiana back to the postseason spotlight.
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But the challenge ahead is no small one. The Atlanta Dream enter the playoffs with a 30–14 record, tied for the second-best mark in the league. They’ve got three All-Stars in their starting lineup, including Allisha Gray, who led the team with 18.4 points per game while also contributing on the glass and as a playmaker. Rhyne Howard, the 2022 Rookie of the Year, has become a lethal scorer from long range, attempting nearly 10 three-pointers a night. Add in Brionna Jones, who dominates inside with her efficiency and rebounding, and the Dream look every bit the powerhouse their record suggests.
The regular season meetings between these two teams give us even more reason to expect drama. They split their four matchups, with each side protecting home court twice. The games were anything but predictable, ranging from a nail-biting one-point Dream win in May to a dominant Fever victory in July. History adds another layer too: this is the fourth playoff series between Indiana and Atlanta. Back in the early 2010s, the teams met three years in a row, with the Dream winning twice in the conference finals but the Fever striking back in 2012 en route to their lone championship.
This year’s postseason format change also adds intrigue. Instead of the higher seed hosting both of the first two games, the league has shifted to a 1-1-1 format. That guarantees Fever fans a home playoff game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Tuesday — the first since 2016. If a decisive Game 3 is needed, the series will return to Atlanta on Thursday.
So, it’s all on the line this weekend. Indiana comes in as the underdog, but one that has proven capable of fighting through adversity. Atlanta, on the other hand, will look to capitalize on its star power and depth to make a statement. With history, pride, and a playoff run at stake, this opener feels less like the beginning of a series and more like the start of a battle that could define the postseason.
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