RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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ATLANTA — The Indiana Fever won a pivotal overtime game over the Dream 95-91 Sunday at State Farm Arena to finish the season series 2-2 and preserve a tiebreaker opportunity at the end of the regular season.
\n Caitlin Clark made the clutch free throws at the end of the game, finishing with 26 points and nine assists. Kelsey Mitchell had her 19th straight game scoring 20 or more points, finishing with 20. Makayla Timpson had a career-high 20 points and seven rebounds, while Aliyah Boston had 18 points and 14 rebounds.
\n At the end of regulation, Rhyne Howard's 3-point shot to win it missed, then Angel Reese had a point-blank layup attempt miss. Reese was 3 for 13 in the paint after that missed, and she finished with 15 points, 14 rebounds and six assists. Allisha Gray had a game-high 32 points.
\n Here's what I liked and disliked, and what the win means.
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\n What I liked in the Indiana Fever's win vs Atlanta Dream
\n Pesky defense in the first half: Fever coach Stephanie White said their defense was the thing that sparked their three-game win streak headed into Atlanta, and that pesky defense continued in the first half. Indiana held Angel Reese to an 0-of-6 start from the field, blocking her twice in that sequence (one from Timpson and one from Boston). Boston also deflected multiple overhead passes from Atlanta, picking up two steals and at other times keeping the Dream's offense uncomfortable.
Fighting back in the fourth: Indiana trailed by eight points with nine minutes left in the game. With three minutes left, at the end of a 12-3 run, they had a one-point lead. Indiana found ways to get the back in their hands as Clark drew a crucial foul on Allisha Gray to negate a Dream possession, then Sophie Cunningham picked up an and-1 to give Indiana its first lead since early in the third quarter. Mitchell kept the Fever in striking distance with another tie off a 3-pointer with a minute left in the game, ultimately sending it to overtime.
Makayla Timpson in overtime: Timpson was crucial for the Fever in overtime, scoring six points in three minutes, including rushing in for a rebound and a putback off a miss by Mitchell to put the Fever up six. Fitting nicely to the starting role she took on just over a week ago.
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\n What I disliked in the Indiana Fever's win vs Atlanta Dream
\n Missed free throws: Free points in a close game are pivotal, and the Fever were not on top of their game from the charity stripe at the beginning of the game (3 of 8 in first half). Clark went 1 of 2 in her first trip to the free-throw line in the first quarter, then Timpson missed her first two free throws in the first quarter. Monique Billings missed pair in the second quarter, then made just 1 of 2 in a three-point game in the fourth. They did make 14 of 15 after halftime.
End of the second quarter: The Fever lost some of their juice as the game rolled into halftime and Reese started to make some shots. The Dream went on a 17-4 run over the final five minutes of the quarter, with Reese accounting for five of those points before she picked up her third foul of the game and subbed out. The Fever only made one field goal in that stretch, with the one two points coming off free throws, and the Dream went from a nine-point deficit to a four-point lead at halftime.
\n What the Indiana Fever's win vs Atlanta Dream means
\n This was one of those crucial games for the Fever, who are in the middle of five teams within two games of each other in the standings, to maintain a seeding advantage over the Dream.
\n With this win, Indiana finishes the season series 2-2 against the Dream, maintaining a chance to win the second tiebreaker (which is record against teams with a winning percentage over .500). The Fever (23-12) go 1.5 games ahead of the Dream (21-13) for the fourth seed and final homecourt advantage slot as the regular season winds down. If Indiana can continue the streak its own, the Fever could win that tiebreaker and potentially snag that final hosting spot in the playoffs.
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\n This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Makayla Timpson breakout game lifts Indiana Fever to important overtime win over Atlanta Dream
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