Fever secure fourth seed positioning with overtime win over Dream
The victory extends Indiana’s winning streak to four games and moves them one and a half games clear of Atlanta in the WNBA standings.
The Indiana Fever have moved into fourth place in the WNBA standings following a 95-91 overtime victory over the Atlanta Dream on Sunday evening. The result extends Indiana’s winning streak to four games and places them one and a half games ahead of the Dream, effectively evening the season series at 2-2.
Caitlin Clark was instrumental in securing the win, finishing with 26 points and nine assists. With seconds remaining in regulation, Clark secured a rebound and lobbed the ball the length of the court to expire the clock, a move she described as having "that in the bag for a while." The unconventional play prevented Atlanta from taking a final shot and kept the Fever’s momentum intact.
The victory improves Indiana’s statistical probability of securing a top-four seed, which grants home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs, to 63 per cent. Entering the match, the Fever were 22-12 and the Dream were 21-12. The win moves Indiana to 23-12, while Atlanta remains at 21-12. Under the current playoff format, which eliminated conference affiliation in 2016, the top four teams qualify regardless of conference, with head-to-head record serving as the primary tiebreaker.
Makayla Timpson delivered a career-high 20 points and seven rebounds in a pivotal role. Inserted into the starting lineup on 8 August, Timpson has contributed to a period where the Fever have not lost a game. Her presence has allowed Aliyah Boston to operate as a spacing big, with Boston recording 18 points, 14 rebounds, and five steals in the contest. Timpson scored six consecutive points in overtime to establish a lead the Fever would not relinquish.
Kelsey Mitchell extended her WNBA-record scoring streak to 19 games with a clutch layup in overtime, despite a 9-of-22 shooting performance. The Dream, led by Angel Reese’s 5-of-16 shooting effort, missed critical opportunities in the final seconds of regulation, including an airball by Rhyne Howard and a missed putback by Reese. The Fever now have nine games remaining, sitting two wins away from setting a single-season franchise record.
