The No. 6 seeded Indiana Fever are gearing up for a high-stakes showdown with the No. 3 Atlanta Dream in the opening round of the 2025 WNBA playoffs. The series kicks off on Sunday, at the Gateway Center Arena in Atlanta, with a national broadcast slated for ABC at 3 p.m. ET, as reported by the Fever's official website.
For the Indiana Fever, this playoff bout marks a franchise milestone with a season record of 24-20, surpassing previous records for wins in a season and racking up 10 road wins. Postseason play isn't unfamiliar territory for the Fever, but this year’s entry is particularly notable as it is the team's first consecutive playoff appearance since the 2015-2016 period—a historical echo from the era of head coach Stephanie White's first tenure, as detailed on Fever's website.
Meanwhile, the playoff seeding, a point of contention up until the season’s final games, was solidified when Las Vegas secured the No. 2 seed by edging out Los Angeles, subsequently pushing Atlanta down to the No. 3 position. According to a report from FOX59, the matchup promises to be a formidable challenge for both teams.
One potential advantage for Atlanta lies in their dominant post players, Brionna Jones and Brittney Griner. The Indiana side, hampered by injuries that have affected their height advantage, might face difficulties countering Atlanta's inside game. The IndyStar predicts a challenging series for Indiana, suggesting, "The Fever could salvage one win in this series, but they likely couldn't get past the surging Dream."
Should the series extend to a third game, the decisive matchup will return to Atlanta's court next Thursday. The second game, however, will allow Indiana to leverage their home crowd when they host Atlanta at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Tuesday, Sept. 16, at 7:30 p.m. ET, with coverage on ESPN.
