Indianapolis – “We all have. We all need.”
It is the phrase that Kelsey Mitchell begged to share earlier this season with his teammates of practices fever, the costumes and the team curl up as the injuries increased. It became a team motto and a type of scream of rally while pressing for the playoffs at the end of the season.
It was adopted in the hype video prior to the game before game 2 against Atlanta on Tuesday. And once the game began, it became the perfect summary of the elimination of the fight against Indiana.
After dropping the game 1 on Sunday in the best series of three, the backs of the fever were firmly against the wall. But back in Gainbridge Fieldhouse for a playoff game for the first time since 2015 and stumbled for a multitude ready for the moment, Indiana recovered with a wire victory over sleep, 77-60.
“I felt good with the fact that we answered when we were supposed to do it,” said Kelsey Mitchell, who had 19 points in the game. “We left from the beginning and the care of business to the extent that we lack from the first game to the second game. That was a great positive for us and the small victories are great for us.”
Indiana has had its back against the wall through this year, especially while they fought for a place in the playoffs in the last month of the season. But Tuesday was the greatest participation they have faced so far. In a scenario of winning or home, the fever seemed ready to do everything possible to extend its season since the opening jump.
They passed the game making life miserable for the offensive of dreams, one of the best in the regular season league, keeping them at 37.9% of shots in general and only 5-19 (26.3%) shots from the range with most of that they will come.
They also closed the gap in a series of narrower areas, such as winning the points in the battle of paint after losing it on Sunday, overcoming the dream at second chance points and surpassing Atlanta at quick break -up points after narrow points after narrow points after narrow points after narrow points after narrow points after narrow points after narrow points after narrow points after the subsequent points.
Add all that and went to Indiana turning the script and obtaining a memorable victory.
“We were getting the hustle plays, climbing to the floor after loose balls,” said Chief coach Stephanie White. “He was finishing defensive plays, making sure we will box and then obtained the ball. He is configuring screens, using screens to give us opportunities at the offensive end. Communicating and our point of defense of the screen at the defensive end.
“We take care of those things. You will have your moments in the games, but when you continue having more moments you are running and you have moments you are playing with multiple levels of effort, good things usually happen and ours.” “
As much as the fever did those little things to try to create an advantage, a slow beginning for the third quarter saw them lead for only three go, without goals for about three minutes. But in the decisive section of the game, Indiana made a 19-7 race to finish the room and open the game, crowned with one of the most prominent aspects of the season.
After a Aliyah Boston tray at the end of the frame, Mitchell stole the posterior incoming pass after Shey Peddy released the ball. The fever would quickly swing the ball around the perimeter to an open Lexie helmet, which pierced the triple just before the bell, giving Indiana an advantage of 59-44 in the fourth place.
“That was great for us. That was serious,” Boston said about the sequence. “Writing the ball and then getting that tip and then Lexi hitting those three, I mean energy, everyone felt. The crowd was going crazy and we only used that impulse in the room.”
Indiana said that there would be no return of the fourth quarter since Makayla Timpson opened the period with a three -point play before Boston made another tray, which made it an advantage of 20 points to force a dream waiting time, which ended effectively in the final.
It was a victory that the fever achieved through the same type of fight and claw that led them to this point. ESO ESO was Aerial Powers, who was signed at the end of the regular season.
The striker played 17 minutes and scored only three points, but made a series of hustle plays that lit the crowd over time. His only field goal was a three -point play in the first half that was with the roar of fans, appropriate for the impact he had on the night.
“She [gives] In so much energy and she always has a lot of energy, “Boston said about powers.” I love when I see her exaggerate the crowd. Everyone gets involved. But I think [Powers]Just what brings us, that aggression, which only details the loose balls, is great. “
It is the identity that fever has adopted this season. The new players intervene and are presented through the year. Apparently, no matter who the Asht leg to take a step forward, they have responded to the bell. It is all they have had and is all they have needed.
Brianna Turner, who was out of the rotation for much of the season before the end of the year, played 20 minutes from the bank and grabbed six rebounds with two robberies. Peddy, who did not join the team until August 22, was a +16 in 23 minutes as a reserve. At the last regular meeting between Faver and Dream, none of Timpson, Powers, Turner or Peddy played and two of those players were not signed with the team.
On Tuesday, those four, matched with strong performances by the main headlines of Parentshay in Hull, Mitchell, Boston and Natasha Howard, played roles in the fever winning their first playoff game at home from the final of the WNBA of 2015. And that’s how they are now on the edge of an unlikely victory of the playoff series, since they returned to Atlanta for the game 3 on Thursday.
“This was very big for us,” said Boston. “Our backs were definitely on the wall in this and we know that we have spent so much this season that comes out with this victory and then giving Ourelves another opportunity in game 3, emotions are high.”
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