“New season starts on Sunday. Everybody’s 0-0… It’s do or die.” Those were the words of Odyssey Sims after the Indiana Fever made the playoffs against all odds. The team had five players out with season-ending injuries, including Caitlin Clark, Sophie Cunningham, Sydney Colson, Aari McDonald, and Chloe Bibby. So heading into the new season, fans were cautiously optimistic about their chances.

But if there was one thing that favored the Fever heading into their game against the Atlanta Dream, it was the experience the Fever had. And we all know how much experience matters in the playoffs. Sophie Cunningham herself believes that experience is key. “So I, yeah, I think playoff season is just like a whole different season. I know you always hear athletes say that, but like it truly is. So, like, you could have the best record in the regular season and literally lose in the first round if that team doesn’t have experience. Like experience is what wins playoffs and championships,” she said on her Show Me Something podcast.

The Fever has a lot of players with championship experience. Sydney Colson and Natasha Howard were brought in not just for their skills on the court, but also to share the experience of winning a title with the younger core. Players like Shey Peddy and Aerial Powers, who joined on hardship contracts, were also part of the 2019 Washington Mystics championship team. On top of that, the Fever’s starting five has an average age of 29, compared to the Dream’s 27.8. Experience-wise, the Fever definitely had the edge.

But experience didn’t really matter this time. The Dream cruised to an 80-68 win in Game 1 of the first round of the playoffs. Why? Because they had better players. Karl Smesko’s team didn’t come to participate — they came to win, and their big offseason moves, including adding Brittney Griner, were proof of that.

“I would say it was before the first meeting. We went into the first meeting and made it clear that we have really high goals. This wasn’t going to be a year where we were satisfied with everybody telling us, ‘Wow, you really improved over last year.’ No, that’s not what we’re trying to do. We’re trying to be the best team in the league. We’re trying to win the championship,” Dream coach Karl Smesko said about his team and their goals. And that is how they have gone about their business the entire season.

Under first-year coach Karl Smesko, the Dream doubled their win total from last year, set a new franchise record with 30 wins, and finished with their highest win percentage ever (.682) while claiming the third seed. So if any team were going to enter the Gateway Center Arena as the favorites, it would always be the Dream.

Allisha Gray and Rhyne Howard dropped 20 each to crush the Fever’s hopes of pulling off a big Game 1 win. But not all hope is lost. Unlike last season, the Fever will get a shot at redemption at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Game 2. And according to Kelsey Mitchell, they know exactly what it’ll take to get that win.

Kelsey Mitchell Outlines What the Indiana Fever Must Do Next Game

In Caitlin Clark’s absence, Kelsey Mitchell has been carrying the load for the Fever. The eight-year veteran is having a career year, sitting just shy of 900 points. She’s shown up in all 44 games in a season where Indiana has struggled to keep its roster intact. Mitchell is averaging 20.3 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game, standing out as the brightest spot in a challenging year for the Indiana Fever.

Even tonight, when the rest of her Fever teammates struggled with only Odyssey Sims hitting double digits, Mitchell kept the score respectable by dropping 27 points on 9-of-18 shooting. She’s also set a clear game plan for the upcoming matchup against the Dream. “I think at the point of attack defensively and offensively, we got to be the one to punch first. Like literally, you got to be the one that, you know, throw a couple punches first. When it comes to making an impact on a game, you can’t allow them to do it for you.”

The Dream outscored the Indiana Fever by 14 points in the second quarter and by 8 in the fourth, and that swing proved too costly. The Fever sometimes looked too pragmatic and let the Dream take control. But back at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, the Fever will be determined not to repeat tonight’s mistakes and to give their fans the win they deserve. Do you think the Fever can bounce back in Game 2? Let us know in the comments below!