Sunday saw the Indiana Fever travel to Atlanta for Game 1 of the Playoffs and suffer a tough loss. Frustrations and tensions grew heavily in the game. When they came home Tuesday for Game 2, their backs were against the wall, and they played like it as well.

Sunday saw way too many turnovers, including the Dream players ripping the ball from Fever players’ hands on multiple occasions.

Tuesday was different.

Fever v Dream – game 2 photos

The Fever played as a true tandem and team, led by Kelsey Mitchell, Aliyah Boston and Natasha Howard- all of which scored in double figures and had five rebounds each.

Defense was the key of the game, with the Fever forcing missed shots, holding the Dream to just 35% shooting with 16 turnovers, with Atlanta never leading in the game.

The Fever shot 100% from the free throw line, outrebounded the Dream 37-27, fouled the Dream less than they were fouled, and led by 24 points at one point. Odyssey Sims, Ariel Powers, Shey Peddy, Lexie Hull and Makayla Timpson all played crucial roles in the game, which saw all but two Dream players held to single-digit scoring.

The Gainbridge Fieldhouse crowd was rowdy, loud and undeniable, cheering so loud you could barely hear the PA announcer and made sure to be the unofficial 6th man at all times.

For the first playoff home game in 9 years for the Fever, the fans and players made sure to soak it all in. Tuesday night was a statement game for the Fever- they set out to make sure to shut up all the critics and to prove that, given the large number of key injuries, they’re still one of the top teams in the league.

The Fever and Fever fans were not going to be denied on Tuesday night and they forced Game 3 in Atlanta on Thursday night.

The winner of this series will face the winner of Seattle and Las Vegas in Round 2.

-Reggie Edwards