Atlanta Dream vs. Indiana Fever WNBA preview and prediction
The Eastern Conference-leading Atlanta Dream, who have won two straight and four of five, travel to Indianapolis on Thursday to take on the Indiana Fever at 7 p.m. ET.
Atlanta is looking like a well-oiled machine even without key contributor Brionna Jones. The Dream cooked the Connecticut Sun on Tuesday 91-75. Rhyne Howard made eight three-pointers and scored 36 points, while Allisha Gray added 26 points and seven rebounds.
Aliyah Boston had 18 points and seven rebounds, but Caitlin Clark was limited to six points on one-of-seven shooting when Indiana dropped its second straight on the road on Saturday at Portland 100-84.
Four of the league’s top six scorers will be on display, as Gray and Howard’s 40.4 combined points per game trails only Kelsey Mitchell and Clark’s 40.7 among WNBA duos.
Atlanta Dream vs. Indiana Fever WNBA Odds and Betting Trends
Indiana sits as a slight 1.5-point favourite on the WNBA odds with a -125 moneyline. Meanwhile, Atlanta is at +105. For what it’s worth, the Fever took two of three from the Dream in a first-round playoff victory last September.
The over/under for this contest is 174. The Dream are second in the league in scoring defence, allowing just 79.1 points per game. Indiana leads the league with 91.8 points per contest, but the Fever are tied for 13th in scoring defence – allowing 89 points per game.
Atlanta Dream
The Dream have leaders all over the place. Howard is sixth in the league in scoring with 19.3 points per game, while she leads the WNBA with 3.7 three-pointers and 2.7 steals per contest.
Gray is second in the league with 21.1 points per game, Angel Reese – who is averaging a double-double – paces the league with 11.3 rebounds per game, and Jordin Canada is fourth in assists with 6.9 per contest.
This is an extremely well-rounded squad, but its depth will need to be addressed as the season progresses. Atlanta got all 91 points from its starters on Tuesday.
On the injury front, the team is still without Jones, who averaged 12.8 points and 7.3 rebounds in her first season with the Dream. She is out indefinitely while recovering from knee surgery.
Indiana Fever
Clark’s back soreness is going to be an issue hanging over the Fever the entire season. She is a special talent, but after playing just 13 games last year, Indiana needs the stud who averages 20.1 points and a league-leading 8.1 assists to exhibit some consistency on the court.
Mitchell had 17 points against Portland, and she leads the team in scoring. Sophie Cunningham (15 points against the Fire) and emerging second-year forward Makayla Timpson (11 points, six rebounds against the Fire) are steady contributors off the bench.
The team shot just 23 per cent (5/22) from long range in Portland. That number needs to improve on Thursday.
WNBA Prediction: Who will win Dream vs. Fever?
Indiana struggled on the road, but has won three straight at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. They will be happy back in front of the home crowd.
Additionally, this contest is a Commissioner’s Cup game, and the Fever are the defending champions of that in-season tournament.
Atlanta should win, but this is the kind of mid-week contest – on the road two days after all five starters logged major minutes against Connecticut – that calls for a slight letdown.
Take Indiana with the slight home-court advantage 84-81.