Fever powered by Aliyah Boston, made clutch plays to beat Dream
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — It looked like the game was slipping away for the Fever. They took an 11 point lead over the Dream into the fourth quarter, but with just over two minutes left, they trailed by one.
It was a sloppy possession for the Fever. Kelsey Mitchell had to heave a three-pointer from the left wing as a desperation shot at the end of the possession. It was short, but Aliyah Boston grabbed the rebound. She powered through her defender and laid it in to take the lead.
Two possessions later with the Fever up three, Caitlin Clark turned the ball over. But, Mitchell was there. She stole it back from Cheyenne Parker-Tyus and finished a smooth reverse layup to put the Fever up two scores.
The Fever would go on to beat the Atlanta Dream 91-84.
Boston was incredible for the Fever. She was an all-star last year, but struggled to find her game early in the season this year. She had 27 points, the most of the game for either team, and grabbed 13 rebounds for a double-double. It was the first game this season that Boston scored over 20 points and tied her career high.
“I’ve been needing one like this where I just feel like I’m dominant and I’m getting to my spots,” Boston said.
Mitchell also set a season high in points, putting up 24 on just 14 shot attempts. She hit three three-pointers and shot a perfect 7-7 from the free throw line.
“She’s (Mitchell) so explosive,” Fever head coach Christie Sides said. “She can get to the rim, she can draw defenders, she’s going to make a great pass, she’s going to kick. Just really proud of what she did tonight.”
This was the first game this season the Fever got over 90 points. The offense was clicking, especially in the first half, when they scored 59 points in the first 20 minutes of action. In total, they hit nine threes and missed just one free throw, shooting 18-19 from the line.
“The ball was moving,” Fever forward Katie Lou Samuelson said. “You could feel it. We could feel it within our group. I think the way we celebrated each other, we were really playing like a team out there.”
The Fever took advantage of the first game in a weaker stretch of the schedule. Including this game against the Dream, they play five straight games against teams below .500.
Now, the attention turns to the Chicago Sky. Clark and Angel Reese will renew their rivalry, but that will likely be overshadowed by Clark and Chennedy Carter, after the hard foul the Carter committed on Clark.
The Fever and Sky will play at noon on Sunday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.