Allisha Gray and Rhyne Howard score 20 apiece, Dream beat Fever 80-68 in
Game 1 of WNBA playoffs
[September 15, 2025]
COLLEGE PARK, Ga. (AP) — Allisha Gray and Rhyne Howard scored 20 points
apiece to help the Atlanta Dream beat the Indiana Fever 80-68 on Sunday
in Game 1 of the best-of-three first-round playoff series.
Naz Hillmon, who was the AP Sixth Person of the Year, added 16 points
and nine rebounds for the third-seeded Dream. Atlanta can advance to the
semifinals with a win in Game 2 on Tuesday in Indianapolis. |
Atlanta Dream guard Rhyne Howard (10) drives the ball during the first
half of Game 1 against the Indiana Fever in the first round of the WNBA
basketball playoffs Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Erik
Rank) |
|
Brionna Jones made a tiebreaking layup and Gray
hit a pull-up jumper before Howard hit a 3-pointer that gave
Atlanta a 47-40 lead almost four minutes into the second half
and the Fever trailed the rest of the way.
Kelsey Mitchell led No. 7 seed Indiana with 27 points. Odyssey
Sims scored 10 points and Aliyah Boston grabbed 12 rebounds to
go with eight points and five assists. The Fever were missing
Caitlin Clark, who is sidelined for the playoffs with a groin
injury she suffered in the middle of July.
Indiana was also missing Sophie Cunningham (knee), Aari McDonald
(foot) and Sydney Colson (knee).
Mitchell made a free throw that cut Indiana’s deficit to 10
points with 3:32 left in the fourth quarter but Hillmon, who
scored 14 second-half points, answered with a three-point play
and Atlanta led by double figures there on.
The Dream, under first-year coach Karl Smesko, doubled their win
total from last year, shattered the club record for wins in a
season (30) and finished with their highest win percentage
(.682) in franchise history.
Mitchell hit a fast-break 3-pointer to cap a 9-0 run that gave
Indiana a 15-6 lead with 4:55 left in the first quarter.
All contents © copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights
reserved |
|
|
