Angel Reese, Dream hold off Caitlin Clark and Fever late in 108-101 thriller
The Atlanta Dream survived a furious fourth-quarter comeback attempt from the Indiana Fever and walked out of Indianapolis with a 108-101 win Thursday.
All five Atlanta starters, Angel Reese, Allisha Gray, Jordin Canada, Rhyne Howard, and Naz Hillmon, finished with at least 15 points, only the fourth time in franchise history a starting five has accomplished that feat.
Reese led the way with 21 points and 11 rebounds, recording her 10th double-double of the season and the 59th of her career. Hillmon set a season high with 17 points, including a team-high three three-pointers. Canada added 18 points and five assists. Gray and Howard each chipped in 17 and 16 points, respectively, with Howard finishing with six assists.
Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell each scored 26 for Indiana, but the Fever's 17 turnovers proved too costly. Atlanta scored 20 points off those miscues and dominated the paint, finishing with 60 points inside.
The Dream led by as many as 13 in the fourth quarter before Indiana made it a one-possession game at 93-91 with under six minutes left. Sophie Cunningham's reverse layup tied it at 93 with just over five minutes to play. Mitchell's floater tied it at 95 before Atlanta pulled away for good.
"I just said, you know, we played so hard and played so well for the first 35 minutes, let's just win the last five," head coach Karl Smesko said. "We win the last five, and all of it was worth it."
Howard was a key part of that closing stretch, finishing with a late driving layup and a floater in the final two minutes that helped put the game away.
"Rhy is playing at such a high level this year," Smesko said. "She's definitely one of the best players in the league, and down the stretch tonight she was great on both sides of the ball."
Reese, who played much of the second half with four fouls, said managing emotions was a point of emphasis going into the game.
"We talked about valuing possessions and managing emotions," Reese said. "We finally got the last punch. Just being able to maintain composure, even when the game isn't going our way, I think we did a great job at that tonight."
Reese also said the second quarter, Atlanta outscored Indiana 34-20 in the period, was ultimately the difference.
"Our second quarter is what really saved us," she said. "That 34-to-20 quarter really, really helped us."
The Dream finished with 17 fast break points, their second-highest total of the season, and generated good looks by pushing the pace and moving the ball.
"We weren't stagnant," Hillmon said. "Last time we came here, we stood and looked at each other and let Indiana really set up. We didn't want them to be able to set up."
Atlanta's bench also contributed 19 points in a game Smesko said required a total team effort.
"Everybody who got in there contributed in a positive way," he said. "The more you play in games that have this type of edge, the more comfortable you'll be in those situations."
Atlanta and Indiana are scheduled to meet again Saturday at State Farm Arena.
