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Dream Coach Karl Smesko Reacts to Season-Ending Loss to Indiana Fever

Smesko led his team to a franchise-best 30 wins before falling to the Fever in the first round.

Jack Haslett

Atlanta Dream head coach Karl Smesko on the sideline against the Indiana Fever in the second quarter during game one of round one for the 2025 WNBA Playoffs at Gateway Center Arena at College Park.
Atlanta Dream head coach Karl Smesko on the sideline against the Indiana Fever in the second quarter during game one of round one for the 2025 WNBA Playoffs at Gateway Center Arena at College Park. / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Thursday night in Atlanta ended in heartbreak.

The Atlanta Dream has been one of the top teams in the WNBA all season and finished with a franchise-best 30 wins under head coach Karl Smesko. That regular season success made them the third seed in the WNBA playoffs, where they faced the Indiana Fever in the first round.

Game 1 went to plan with an Atlanta victory, while Game 2 in Indiana ended in favor of the Fever, staving off elimination for the Caitlin Clark-less sixth seed. With Game 3 back in Atlanta, the Dream looked poised to continue on with their success. But things didn't turn out that way.

The Fever put up a fight the whole game, but Atlanta still held the lead going into the final quarter. That was until a dominant fourth quarter performance by Indiana turned the tide and went on a 7-0 run to close the game and edge past the Dream 87-85 to keep their season alive, and end Atlanta's.

Karl Smesko speaks on the loss

“Obviously, just a devastating ending to a great game," Smesko said. "I give Indiana a lot of credit. They fought all the way to the last seconds and unfortunately they were able to make the final play.”

Smesko said he tried to call for one more timeout as the seconds wound down to try to ice the Fever run, but that officials couldn't hear him over the noise of the crowd.

Atlanta Dream head coach Karl Smesko.
Atlanta Dream head coach Karl Smesko on the sideline against the Indiana Fever in the second quarter during game one of round one for the 2025 WNBA Playoffs at Gateway Center Arena at College Park. / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

It became anyone's game in the final seconds as the two teams traded leads and the score remained just a single shot away throughout much of the fourth. Atlanta's defense, their clear strength throughout the regular season, revealed some gaps near the end that Indiana was able to move through.

On the offensive side, the Dream found themselves outpaced as the Fever kept up the fight.

"Unfortunately, we had some empty possessions where we were kind of just staring at the ball rather than executing our offense," Smesko said. "These are important possessions; you need to keep the pace up, you've got to do things to break down the defense.”

Game 3's result certainly wasn't the outcome Atlanta was hoping for or expecting. The Dream were carrying momentum going into playoffs and were in hot pursuit of the first championship in franchise history, only for their playoff run to end almost as soon as it started.

"I'm just really disappointed for our players. I know the work they’ve put in, I know how much they wanted this and for it not to work out is always painful and this is no exception,” Smesko said.

Even with the disappointing result, Smesko's heart is with his players. The first-year head coach has led his team to new heights and even if it isn't happening this year, Smesko has confidence his team will see the top of the mountain in the future.

“We’re here to bring a championship to the Dream, and it’s going to be delayed. It's not going to be denied. But, right now it hurts a little bit because I had so much faith in this team."

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Jack Haslett
JACK HASLETT

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