Match Preview: Fever Hopes to Recover Against Dream on Monday Night

Indiana Fever at Atlanta Dream
Monday August 26
State Farm Arena | 7:30 p.m. ET

Broadcast information
WTHR Channel 13/NBA TV

Likely starters

Indiana Fever (13-16)

Guard – Caitlin Clark (17.9 points per game, 5.7 rebounds per game, 8.3 assists per game)
Guard – Kelsey Mitchell (17.8 points per game, 2.3 rebounds per game, 1.9 assists per game)
Center – Aliyah Boston (13.9 points per game, 9.2 rebounds per game, 2.8 assists per game)
Forward – NaLyssa Smith (11.0 points per game, 7.6 rebounds per game, 1.1 assists per game)
Forward – Katie Lou Samuelson (4.9 points per game, 2.6 rebounds per game, 1.4 assists per game)

Atlanta Dream (10-18)

Guard – Allisha Gray (15.9 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 2.5 apg)
Guard – Jordin Canada (10.1 points per game, 3.6 rebounds per game, 6.3 assists per game)
Center – Tina Charles (13.9 points per game, 8.9 rebounds per game, 2.0 assists per game)
Forward – Rhyne Howard (16.3 points per game, 4.6 rebounds per game, 3.3 assists per game)
Forward – Naz Hillmon (4.5 points per game, 4.3 rebounds per game, 1.4 assists per game)

Game Status Report

Indiana: None

Atlanta: Aerial Powers – OUT (left calf), Cheyenne Parker-Tyus – OUT (left ankle)

EXAMPLE OF THE GAME:

The Indiana Fever (13-16) wrap up their two-game road trip on Monday at the Atlanta Dream for the third game of the season. Indiana has won both previous meetings this season and will meet for the final time of the regular season on Sunday, Sept. 8 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

Indiana has scored 91 points in each of its two wins against the Dream this season. In the most recent win on June 21, five Fever players scored in double figures to secure the 91-79 victory, highlighted by NaLyssa Smith’s 21 points and nine rebounds. Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell, who has scored at least 20 points in five of her last six games, followed with 18 points, four rebounds and three assists in the most recent win against Atlanta. Fever guard Caitlin Clark, center Aliyah Boston and forward Katie Lou Samuelson combined for 36 points, 17 rebounds and 11 assists in the win.

Indiana has won two of three games since returning from the Olympic break and is second in the WNBA in scoring with an average of 90.0 points per game since returning. Additionally, Mitchell and Clark are second and third in scoring in the WNBA after the break, with Mitchell averaging 25.3 points per game and Clark averaging 25.0 points per game. Boston has controlled the rebounding with at least 15 rebounds in three of its last five games. It is also 19 points shy of reaching 1,000 for its career.

Indiana recently fell short, 90-80, to the Minnesota Lynx on Saturday night, marking Minnesota’s sixth straight win. Clark became the third player in franchise history to score at least 500 points in a rookie season, and he combined with Mitchell to score 44 points on Friday.

Clark enters Monday night with 81 made 3-point field goals, trailing Dream guard Rhyne Howard (85 – 2022) for the most made 3-point field goals by a rookie in WNBA history.

Before the break, Atlanta (10-18) was 7-17 and near the bottom of the standings. The Dream has won three of its last four games, highlighted by victories over the Seattle Storm, Connecticut Sun and Phoenix Mercury. The Dream trio of guards Howard, Allisha Gray and forward Tina Charles have all scored in double figures in their four games since returning from the break. Dream guard Jordin Canada, who has been sidelined since July 2 and was injured in both games against Indiana, has returned to the Dream’s starting lineup and is averaging 11.5 points per game since her return.

Atlanta recently lost the second game of its back-to-back with the Mercury on Friday, 82-80. Gray led the Dream with 22 points, seven rebounds and three assists, while Howard, Charles and Canada combined for 43 points. In Atlanta’s 72-63 win over Phoenix two days earlier, Charles moved into second place on the WNBA All-Time Scoring List, behind only Diana Taurasi.