Printable Page
09/18 21:18 CDT Boston has go-ahead basket with 7.4 seconds left as Fever beat
Dream 87-85 to reach WNBA semifinals
Boston has go-ahead basket with 7.4 seconds left as Fever beat Dream 87-85 to
reach WNBA semifinals
COLLEGE PARK, Ga. (AP) --- Aliyah Boston made the go-ahead basket with 7.4
seconds left, Lexie Hull stole the ensuing inbounds pass and the Indiana Fever
beat the No. 3-seeded Atlanta Dream 87-85 on Thursday night to advance to the
WNBA semifinals.
Despite missing Caitlin Clark among its injured players, Indiana closed on a
7-0 run to win a playoff series for the first time since 2015. The sixth-seeded
Fever will play on Sunday against the winner of Thursday's other Game 3 between
Seattle and Las Vegas.
Boston was left alone under the basket for an easy layup after Brionna Jones
went to the ground going for a loose ball. It gave Indiana an 86-85 lead, its
first since it was 33-30 in the second quarter.
Rhyne Howard twice had trouble inbounding the ball in the final seconds, with
Hull coming from behind to poke it away from Jones. Indiana got it to Odyssey
Sims, who went 1 of 2 at the free-throw line to give Atlanta another shot with
1.2 left. Jones' off-balance 3-pointer at the buzzer was off the mark.
Kelsey Mitchell led Indiana with 24 points and Boston had 14 points, 12
rebounds and six assists. Sims had 16 points and eight assists, and Natasha
Howard added 12 points.
Allisha Gray had 19 points and 12 rebounds for her first playoff double-double
to lead Atlanta. Jordin Canada also had a double-double with 18 points and 10
assists. Rhyne Howard scored 16 points and Jones had 12.
Atlanta, which was held to 60 points in a 17-point loss in Game 2 on Tuesday,
reached 60 points with 6:09 left in the third quarter.
Shey Peddy made a 3-pointer with 6:06 remaining in the fourth to pull Indiana
within 80-78. Neither team scored again until the 3:21 mark on Brianna Turner's
putback to tie it at 80-all.
Atlanta has not won a playoff series since 2016.
___
AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball
|
