The Indiana Fever and Atlanta Dream are both on two-game win streaks. They also both have 21-12 records. That currently has Atlanta in fourth place and Indiana in fifth, and a first-round meeting between the two teams is becoming more and more likely.
It would be a fun matchup for two reasons. One, Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese haven’t met in the playoffs yet, so seeing their teams go against each other would be must-watch TV even though the rivalry between the two has cooled off notably. Secondly, it would be a rematch of last season’s first-round matchup, which Atlanta undoubtedly wants revenge for.
Fever-Dream would be a high-stakes first-round matchup with intriguing storylines. Both teams would likely prefer an easier first-round series, but for fans and the league, this matchup would be a dream. The only Fever first-round matchup that might draw more viewers would be a meeting with Paige Bueckers and the Dallas Wings.
A rematch between the Fever and Dream would be must-watch TV
The Dream entered last year’s playoffs with 30 regular-season wins and all the potential to be an underdog contender. The Fever, on the other hand, limped into the postseason with Caitlin Clark, Sophie Cunningham, Aari McDonald, Sydney Colson, and Chloe Bibby all sidelined with season-ending injuries, and Odyessy Sims having to take over the starting point guard spot on the fly.
Nevertheless, the Fever upset the Dream 2-1 and eliminated them in the first round. It marked the third consecutive year the Dream failed to make it past the first round.
This year, both teams face a lot of pressure to go on a deep playoff run. Indiana, with its big three of Clark, Mitchell, and Boston, is supposed to be a championship contender. Atlanta, meanwhile, traded for Reese to boost its playoff chances, and a fourth first-round exit would be beyond disappointing.
Angel Reese will make her playoff debut
Caitlin Clark was lucky enough to be drafted to a Fever team that already featured Kelsey Mitchell and Aliyah Boston. So, she was able to make the playoffs in her first season. The Fever faced the Connecticut Sun in 2024 and lost in two games. The second game was a much better effort than the first one, though. Clark then missed the Fever’s playoff run last season.
Reese, meanwhile, spent two seasons with a struggling Chicago Sky team before being traded to the Dream. This is her first chance to make the playoffs, and, after she was adamant about wanting to play for a more competitive team, there’s a certain pressure on her to deliver.
If she has to do it against Clark, there will only be more eyes on her playoff debut.
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