The Indiana Fever are back in the win column and leveled the season series against the Atlanta Dream 2-2.
The Fever defeated the Dream 99-82 on Friday, July 11 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, scoring the team’s second-highest point total of the season. With the win, the Fever move to 10-10 on the season, while the Dream drop to 12-8.
Caitlin Clark was one of four Fever players to hit double-digits, recording 12 points, nine assists and four rebounds in her second game back from an injury. Clark’s shooting slump, however, continued as she works her way back from a left groin injury that sidelined her for five-games. Clark shot 5-of-17 from the field and 1-of-7 from three. She’s gone 4-of-35 from three in her last five games.
Kelsey Mitchell had a team-high 25 points, while Aliyah Boston added 19 points, a career-high 8 assists and six rebounds before fouling out in the fourth quarter. Sophie Cunningham added a season-high 16 points and 10 rebounds off the bench, marking her second career double-double.
‘It’s about dang time,’ Cunningham said following the win. ‘It finally felt good.’
Jordin Canada paced the Dream with a game-high 30 points, shooting 50% from the field and connecting on 6 of 11 3-pointers. She also tallied eight assists and three rebounds. Rhyne Howard added 14 points, and Brittney Griner chipped in 10 points and eight rebounds.
Here’s a recap of the Fever’s matchup against the Dream Friday:
Dream vs. Fever highlights
End of 3Q: Fever 69, Dream 65
The Fever outscored the Dream 29-20 in the third quarter to take a four-point lead into the final period. Kelsey Mitchell leads the Fever with 22 points, while Aliyah Boston is closing in on a double-double with 11 points and eight rebounds. Caitlin Clark has nine points and five assists, shooting 4-of-13 from the field and 1-of-6 from three. Jordin Canada still leads the Dream with 28 points and six assists, although her scoring has slowed significantly. She scored 26 of her 28 points in the first half.
Rhyne Howard returns after being carried off court
Rhyne Howard is back on the court. She returned to start the third quarter with a large brace on her left leg after appearing to hyperextend her knee in the second quarter. Howard got some shots up during halftime and determined she was good to go.
Halftime: Dream 45, Fever 40
Jordin Canada is red-hot for the Dream. Canada set a new career-high with 26 points in the first half, with most of her points coming from a career-high six 3-pointers. Canada was shooting 6-of-29 from 3 entering Friday’s matchup, but she’s already tied her season total from beyond the arc in the first half alone.
How? “Just being confident in myself and knowing that when the ball comes to me, I got to put it in the hoop,” Canada said at halftime, adding that the Dream need to “keep being aggressive’ against the Fever.
Despite Canada’s lights-out shooting, the Fever only trail by five points at halftime. Kelsey Mitchell leads the Fever with 14 points.
Meanwhile, Caitlin Clark’s shooting woes have continued. She has four points and five assists, shooting 2-of-7 from the field and 0-of-4 from 3.
Rhyne Howard carried back to locker room with leg injury
The Dream’s Rhyne Howard was shaken up after getting tangled up with the Fever’s Lexie Hull on a rebound attempt. With the Fever leading 24-23 with 7:29 remaining in the second quarter, Howard appeared to hyperextend her left knee while chasing a rebound and the All-Star immediately went down clutching her knee. She was carried back to the locker room. She has five points on the night.
End of Q1: Dream 23, Fever 21
The Atlanta Dream have a two-point lead heading into the second quarter, thanks to a 10-point performance from Jordin Canada, who knocked down a pair of threes in the first quarter.
The Fever, who had the second-best field-goal percentage in the league heading into Friday’s contest (45.7%), were held to 36.4% from the field and only 2-of-10 from three, compared to the Dream’s 50% from the field and beyond the arc.
Natasha Howard has a team-high five points. Clark is up to four points (2-of-5 FG, 0-of-2 3PT).
What time is Indiana Fever vs. Atlanta Dream?
The Indiana Fever host the Atlanta Dream at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on Friday, July 11 at 7:30 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast on ION.
How to watch Indiana Fever vs. Atlanta Dream: TV, stream
- Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
- Location: Gainbridge Fieldhouse (Indianapolis)
- TV: ION
- Live stream: Fubo (free trial)
Indiana Fever starting lineup
Is Caitlin Clark playing today?
Yes. Clark was not listed on the Fever’s injury report and is ready to go Friday. She previously missed five games with a quad injury and five games due to a left groin injury.
Atlanta Dream starting lineup
Caitlin Clark: Tyrese Haliburton ‘certainly loves the Fever’
Caitlin Clark and Tyrese Haliburton are each other’s best friends.
Haliburton has been a mainstay at Fever games, most recently at the Fever’s loss against Golden State on July 9. Clark has returned the favor. Clark attended Game 4 of the NBA Finals between the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder alongside several of her teammates.
‘He loves basketball,’ Clark said on Friday. ‘He certainly loves the Fever and he loves this state.’
Stream Fever vs. Dream on Fubo
The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.