Photo courtesy of Atlanta Dream
Indiana 83, Atlanta 71 — June 4, 2026
The Indiana Fever got back in the win column Thursday night, knocking off the Atlanta Dream 83-71 behind a performance that had nothing to do with the two names on the marquee.
Yes, Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese were both on the floor, and yes, the rivalry between them remains a draw. But the player who actually decided this game was Kelsey Mitchell. The three-time All-Star poured in a game-high 25 points on 11-of-15 shooting, including an 11-point burst in just over two minutes of action midway through the third quarter that effectively put the game away.
Clark finished with a solid if unspectacular line — 17 points, eight assists, seven rebounds, and a block. Reese recorded her sixth double-double of the season with 11 points and 10 boards, adding three assists and two blocks. Neither player dominated, but Indiana didn’t need them to.
For Atlanta, the loss drops the Dream to 6-3, still tied for the second-best record in the WNBA and just one game behind the first-place Minnesota Lynx. But a concerning offensive trend continued. The Dream entered Thursday ranked ninth in offensive rating, and a 71-point showing against a Fever defense that has struggled won’t help that number. Allisha Gray and Rhyne Howard combined for just 21 points. The addition of Reese in the offseason was supposed to provide a boost, but coach Karl Smesko’s system hasn’t found its footing yet this season.
One win doesn’t fix everything for Indiana, but building momentum has to start somewhere. Both teams are back at it Saturday — Atlanta hosts Washington at 6 p.m., while the Fever take on New York at 8 p.m.
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