How Atlanta Dream Took Advantage of Fever Amid Caitlin Clark Injury in Game 1

The Atlanta Dream took Game 1 against an Indiana Fever team that have been held back by injuries.

Atlanta Dream forward Naz Hillmon (00) reacts after a basket against the Indiana Fever in the fourth quarter during game one of round one for the 2025 WNBA Playoffs at Gateway Center Arena at College Park. / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The Atlanta Dream got off to a good start to Round 1 of the 2025 playoffs, toppling the Indiana Fever 80-68 in Game 1.

Forward Rhyne Howard and guard Allisha Gray led the way for the Dream with 20 points each while forward Naz Hillmon and center Brionna Jones rounded out Atlanta's core four in terms of scoring.

The Fever, on the other hand, found themselves stifled on offense with just 68 points, their fifth-lowest scoring performance of the season.

Status Report for today's game against Atlanta:

Damiris Dantas - Out (concussion protocol)
Chloe Bibby - Out (left knee)
Caitlin Clark - Out (right groin)
Sydney Colson - Out (left knee)
Sophie Cunningham - Out (right knee)
Aari McDonald - Out (right foot) pic.twitter.com/wy6ZeXv4H7

— Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever) September 14, 2025

The Fever limped their way through the end of the regular season and into the playoffs, entering Sunday's game with six players out on the injury report. The most notable name on that list is star guard Caitlin Clark, who has been sidelined for the rest of the season with a groin injury, and it's clear that the Fever are feeling the impact of their missing star.

Clark makes a noticeable impact on the Fever box score when she's on the court. The Fever averaged 87 points with Clark playing in 2025 compared to 83 points without her, which has been a much larger sample size as the former Iowa Hawkeye has been riddled with injuries in her sophomore season and appeared in just 13 games.

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) walks to the locker room against the Atlanta Dream at halftime during game one of round one for the 2025 WNBA Playoffs at Gateway Center Arena at College Park. / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

How the Fever's Offense Struggled in Clark's Absence

The Fever shot 34.9% from the field in Sunday's loss to Atlanta and found themselves stifled by the physical defense of the Dream. Indiana especially struggled from three-point-range, one of Clark's notable features, shooting just 13.3% from the field.

A key component of Atlanta's shooting defense in Game 1 was the way they zeroed in on Indiana's remaining go-to shooters. With Clark and so many other potential offensive threats missing from the game, the Fever were left with less versatility and more predictability when it came to passing and taking shots.

Atlanta Dream guard Rhyne Howard (10) dribbles past Indiana Fever guard Lexie Hull (10) in the first quarter during game one of round one for the 2025 WNBA Playoffs at Gateway Center Arena at College Park. / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

"I think being able to stop them from getting second chances is really what we keyed in on," Howard said (via WNBA). "We know who they want to go to. We know who's going to take those shots and making sure that we make those shots hard, make them tough for them to make and getting the first rebound and pushing from there."

With the Fever so shorthanded, the majority of the scoring fell to guard Kelsey Mitchell, who scored a playoff career-best 27 points while shooting 50% from the field. Beyond that, no other Fever player made more than three field goals and star forward Aliyah Boston was held to just nine attempts overall while overseeing much of the team's defensive duties.

The Dream could not be healthier compared to the Fever, with just one player out for Game 1. By taking advantage of Indiana's short-handed roster and shutting down the players that remain, Atlanta could continue to outlast the Fever in the next matchup between the two on Tuesday.