Fever Travel to Atlanta to Face Dream
May 26, 2023 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) - Indiana Fever News Release
After starting off the regular season with two losses, the Indiana Fever (0-2) are hoping to improve its record with a win this Sunday taking on the Atlanta Dream at 3 p.m. ET at Gateway Center Arena. The Fever are 25-31 all time against the Dream and only 8-19 when playing at Atlanta.
This past Sunday, Indiana hit the road for the first time this season and fell to the New York Liberty in its home opener, 90-73. Four Fever players ended the night scoring in double figures: forward NaLyssa Smith (16), center Aliyah Boston (15), guard Kelsey Mitchell (10) and forward Kristy Wallace (11).
Smith recorded her ninth career double-double and first double-double of the 2023 season as she tacked on 12 rebounds against New York. She enters the weekend ranked fifth in the league in rebounds averaging a team-high 10.5 per game.
Boston has scored 15 points in each of her first two regular-season WNBA games, earning her the top spot in scoring average across all 2023 WNBA rookies. In her regular-season debut against Connecticut, Boston neared a double-double with nine rebounds. She will look to become the first rookie to score at least 15 points in her first three WNBA regular season games since Elena Delle Donne and Brittney Griner each did it in 2013.
Mitchell began her sixth season with the Fever by also scoring in double-figures in each of Indiana's first two regular season games. Mitchell leads the team in steals averaging 2.5 per game this season.
Sunday's matchup is the 2023 regular season home opener for Atlanta after beginning the regular season with a two-game road stretch. After falling to the Dallas Wings in the regular season opener, 85-78, Atlanta rallied for an 83-77 win at Minnesota on Tuesday. Atlanta trailed by as many as 19 points in the third quarter, but earned their first lead of the game in the final minute of regulation from a go-ahead three-pointer by guard Aari McDonald.
Against Minnesota, guard Allisha Gray recorded her first double-double of the 2023 season with 26 points, 10 rebounds and shooting 3-of-6 from behind the 3-point arc. In January, Gray was acquired by the Dream in a trade with Dallas, where she averaged 13.3 points and 4.8 rebounds in 2022.
A valuable asset to the team lies within 2022 WNBA Rookie of the Year, Rhyne Howard. Howard averaged 16.2 points and 4.5 rebounds in 34 games in 2022, all of which she started. The All-Star contributed her first double-double of 2023 against Dallas, tallying 20 points and 10 rebounds to open the regular season slate. Against Indiana in 2022, Howard averaged 22.0 points and 4.5 rebounds per contest in four games.
Probable Starters
Indiana Fever
Center - Aliyah Boston (15.0 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 1.5 bpg)
Forward - NaLyssa Smith (11.0 ppg, 10.5 rpg, 0.5 apg)
Guard - Victoria Vivians (4.0 ppg, 1.0 rpg, 1.5 spg)
Guard - Kelsey Mitchell (15.0 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 2.5 spg)
Guard - Erica Wheeler (1.0 ppg, 1.5 rpg, 3.0 apg)
Atlanta Dream (1-1)
Guard - Aari McDonald (6.0 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 3.5 apg)
Guard - Allisha Gray (18.0 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 4.0 apg)
Guard - Rhyne Howard (14.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 4.0 apg)
Forward - Nia Coffey (3.0 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 3.0 bpg)
Forward - Cheyenne Parker (15.0 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 2.0 spg)
Indiana Fever at Atlanta Dream
Sunday, May 28, 2023
Gateway Center Arena | 3 p.m. ET
Broadcast Information
Indiana Fever Facebook
Pat Boylan (play-by-play), Bria Goss (analyst)
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