Game Preview: Fever Take on Dream on Friday Night in Atlanta

Fri, Jun 21, 2024, 2:09 PM

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Indiana Fever vs. Atlanta Dream
Friday, June 21
State Farm Arena | 7:30 p.m. ET

Broadcast Information
ION

Probable Starters

Indiana Fever (6-10)

Guard – Kelsey Mitchell (15.9 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 1.9 apg)
Guard – Caitlin Clark (16.3 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 6.2 apg)
Center – Aliyah Boston (12.9 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 2.6 apg)
Guard – Kristy Wallace (5.3 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 2.3 apg)
Forward – NaLyssa Smith (11.2 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 1.3 apg)

Atlanta Dream (6-7)

Guard – Allisha Gray (15.2 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 2.1 apg)
Guard – Haley Jones (4.7 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 3.1 apg)
Guard – Ariel Powers (8.8 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 1.2 apg)
Forward – Nia Coffey (2.6 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 1.5 apg)
Center – Tina Charles (12.6 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 1.7 apg)

Game Status Report

Indiana: Temi Fagbenle – OUT (Left Foot)

Atlanta: Jordin Canada – OUT (Right Hand), Rhyne Howard – OUT (Left Lower Leg)

GAME PREVIEW:

The Indiana Fever travel to take on the Atlanta Dream at 7:30 p.m. ET for the teams’ second contest in eight days and first in Atlanta. On last Thursday, Indiana hosted the Dream at Gainbridge Fieldhouse for their first of four meetings this season and won 91-84 in its second of what is now four-consecutive home wins. Thursday also marked the first of two games in which the Fever shot 50 percent or better from the paint.

Indiana aims to stretch its winning streak to five as the team enters Friday following a 88-81 home victory against the Washington Mystics on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Atlanta comes into the matchup after a 68-55 road loss to the Minnesota Lynx on Wednesday, having previously secured a 87-74 home win over the Los Angeles Sparks on Monday.

On Wednesday during the Fever’s second win against the Mystics this season, four Indiana players scored in double figures, starting with Fever center and WNBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week Aliyah Boston’s 22-point, eight-rebound performance. Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell also topped Indiana’s scoring chart with 22 points as well while Fever rookie guard Caitlin Clark recorded her second double-double of the season with 18 points and a career-high 12 rebounds. Forward NaLyssa Smith put up 11 points and seven rebounds in the win, too.

Clark currently leads all rookies in assists per game with an average 6.2 apg, and if she records one assist against the Dream on Friday, Clark will become the fastest rookie in WNBA history to record 260+ points and 100+ assists in her first 17 regular season games. Sue Bird leads this category with 260+ points and 100+ assists in 19 games during her 2002 rookie campaign.

On Wednesday in Atlanta’s loss against the Lynx, three Dream players scored in double figures, starting with Dream center Tina Charles’ 14-point, 10-rebound double-double. Dream guard Haley Jones and forward Nia Coffey both tallied 11 points each. Coffey pulled down eight rebounds and three assists and Jones followed with six rebounds and two assists. Minnesota outscored Atlanta in paint points, 36-22, and bench points, 19-6, yet the Dream outrebounded the Lynx, 46-45.

On Thursday during Indiana’s first regular-season win against Atlanta is when Boston catapulted her recent standout showings as she tied a career-high 27 points and season-high 13 rebounds against the Dream. Mitchell recorded a season-high 24 points in the win and the Fever outscored Atlanta in paint points, 42-30, and fast break points, 11-2. Dream guard Rhyne Howard, who will be out Friday following a lower leg injury during Atlanta’s game against Minnesota, led in scoring against Indiana with a season-high 26 points. Dream forward Cheyenne Parker-Tyus followed with 18 points, six rebounds and five assists.