Indiana Fever reach WNBA semifinals after upset of Atlanta Dream; Sophie Cunningham involved in sideline standoff
Cunningham, sidelined by a knee injury, confronted a police officer during a timeout as Indiana clinched a playoff series for the first time since 2015.
INDIANAPOLIS — The sixth-seeded Indiana Fever upset the Atlanta Dream 87-85 on Thursday night to advance to the WNBA semifinals, a dramatic finish that capped a tight elimination game and sent Indiana into the next round. The Fever rode a late rally to overcome injuries that left Caitlin Clark and Sophie Cunningham on the bench, while Cunningham became the focal point of a tense sideline moment during a stoppage.
With just over four minutes left in the fourth quarter and Atlanta clinging to a six-point lead, Odyssey Sims sparked a feverish finish for Indiana. Sims intercepted a pass from Naz Hillmon and sped downcourt for a potential layup, only to be denied by Allisha Gray, whose block forced the Dream to review a possible flagrant foul. As officials reviewed the play, Cunningham and Clark remained on the Fever bench, both sidelined by injury, when Cunningham stepped toward center court to check on a teammate during the timeout. A uniformed police officer moved in and directed her to back away, but Cunningham stood her ground for several seconds before the guard stepped back. No flagrant foul was called, and Sims went on to convert two free throws to keep Atlanta ahead briefly before Indiana surged.
Sims and the Fever then seized control, finishing the game with a 7-0 run to seal the series win and end a playoff drought dating back to 2015. Indiana, the No. 6 seed, will face the winner of Thursday’s other Game 3 between Seattle and Las Vegas in the next round. In the closing minutes, Boston guarded the paint as Jones went to the floor pursuing a loose ball, opening the door for Indiana to reclaim the lead on a late sequence.
Indiana carried momentum despite missing Clark and Cunningham, two of the Fever’s key scorers. Kelsey Mitchell led Indiana with 24 points, while Boston added 14 points, 12 rebounds and six assists. Sims finished with 16 points and eight assists, and Natasha Howard contributed 12 points. Allisha Gray had 19 points and 12 rebounds for Atlanta, delivering a playoff double-double for the visitors, while Jordin Canada added 18 points and 10 assists. Rhyne Howard scored 16 points and Jones had 12 for Atlanta.