After more downs than ups throughout the 2025 WNBA season, the Indiana Fever has finally ended the regular season on a positive note. Somehow, against the odds and a mountain of doubts after Caitlin Clark’s injury, they flipped the script just in time. Their regular season-ending run saw them gather three wins, including a win over the Minnesota Lynx (okay, yes, without Napheesa Collier). The result? A shiny 6th seed and what many analysts are generously calling a “favorable matchup”.

In the latest episode of her Show Me Something podcast, Sophie Cunningham said that she would like to face the Atlanta Dream. Her reasoning was simple. “Atlanta maybe has the least amount of playoff experience, if I’m not mistaken. And I think our team does too. So I think that would be our best matchup”. And now, with the final seedings in, her wish has come to reality. However, according to the Seattle Storm part-owner and WNBA legend, Sue Bird, it’s not just experience that can cause problems for the Dream. In the latest episode of her Bird’s Eye View with Sue Bird, she explained why the Atlanta Dream may be in trouble against the Indiana Fever.

Addressing the matchup, Bird said, “The reason why this series is interesting is cause these two teams haven’t played each other. Like these two teams haven’t really played each other. Obviously, Indiana is the team that’s been hit the absolute most by injuries, so they feel totally different, but they’ve kind of found themselves a little bit. Then you have Atlanta. They’ve had the injury bug a little bit, too. Not as much as Indiana, but you have a player like Jordin Canada who’s been out for a decent chunk of time and is now just back in the lineup. So, it’s not, you’re not gonna base it off anything from the regular season.” 

Although the season series between the two teams ended in a tie, the circumstances have shifted dramatically since their last meeting. All of their matchups were completed by July 12, and since then, the Indiana Fever have lost four key players from that game—Caitlin Clark, Sophie Cunningham, Sydney Colson, and Aari McDonald. On paper, this makes the Fever roster noticeably weaker. However, one could argue that this very unpredictability of a roster their opponent hasn’t gone against could create unexpected challenges for the Dream. And if you consider the deciding factor Sue Bird highlighted, even a Dream fan would have to admit that her warning carries weight.

Pointing out a potential matchup advantage for the Indiana Fever, Sue Bird Said, “To me, the Fever, what they’re bringing is just like a grit. They’re just gritty about it. They find ways to win. They find ways to stay in games. I don’t know. It might come down to, can Aliyah Boston kind of have an impact, not just in the paint, but the way she playmakes against Atlanta’s bigs. 

Under Karl Smesko, Atlanta became defensively elite, finishing the year with the league’s second-best defensive rating. However, most of those 30 wins were built on the strength of team defense and shooting. If Aliyah Boston or Kelsey Mitchell can attack Atlanta’s guards or bigs in unique ways, supported well by the newer additions, Atlanta’s usual schemes may be challenged. And, as Bird suggested, Boston, more than anyone else, might prove to be the needle-mover as history suggests.

How Can Aliyah Boston Change the Tide Towards the Indiana Fever’s Favour?

While the de facto leader of this post-Caitlin Clark Indiana Fever was certainly Kelsey Mitchell, she had a big helping hand in Aliyah Boston. Quietly in the background, the first overall pick in the 2023 WNBA draft has had a career season. She finished the regular season averaging 15 points and, more importantly, 3.7 assists per game. She has done all this while carrying an additional load in CC’s absence and with almost the same shooting numbers.

Often called the Tim Duncan of the WNBA, her biggest growth this season has been in her playmaking. She was already adept at dominating the paint, but this year, she has even shown willingness and vision to find open teammates on the perimeter when she is surrounded by a tight defense.

And not to forget that Aliyah Boston has been nothing short of a headache for Atlanta all season. In their four meetings, she averaged 13.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 5.0 assists. More impressively, she piled up 17 double-doubles, trailing only the frontcourt powerhouses A’ja Wilson, Angel Reese, and Alyssa Thomas. For a second-year center, that kind of production doesn’t just speak to potential; it proves she’s already in elite company.

Also, the Atlanta Dream’s depth at center has been a lingering concern all season. Their big move to shore it up was the addition of Brittney Griner, but that experiment never really paid off. This year ended up being one of the roughest of her career. As a result, Brionna Jones has shouldered much of the responsibility inside, particularly with Griner now coming off the bench for the last stretch of games. When the Dream face Indiana, Jones will be tasked with the toughest matchup on the floor: containing Aliyah Boston.

Both players bring size, strength, and finishing ability in the paint, but Boston separates herself with her vision and passing, often turning double teams into easy looks for teammates. That forces Jones not only to defend but also to control the glass, especially on the defensive end, and to avoid foul trouble if Atlanta wants to keep Indiana from piling up second-chance points.

Still and all, the odds are still heavily favoring the Atlanta Dream, with ESPN predicting a 66.5% chance of them winning. And this will be the moment when Aliyah Boston and Co. will get to prove everyone wrong. Will they be able to do it? What do you think?