Every headline tells the same story: a late rally sends the Fever into the semifinals. But look closer, and another detail emerges. It wasn’t just Indiana’s 7–0 run, Aliyah Boston’s layup with 7.4 seconds left, Lexie Hull’s steal, or Odyssey Sims’ free throw. What stood out was the frustration visible on the faces of Allisha Gray and Rhyne Howard. A tension that didn’t stop there and seemed to ripple throughout the team.

Even Rachel DeMita pointed out the same on the latest episode of her podcast ‘Courtside Club’. “What lost the Atlanta Dream that game was their inability to stay composed, and that’s how the Fever ran away with the game,” DeMita said. “We saw it in spurts this game. There was a couple times the Fever would go on a run, and then you’d see players on the Atlanta Dream arguing with each other, getting kind of frustrated. You could see the visual frustration.”

Well, yes. As Atlanta’s lead looked in danger, the Dream displayed obvious signs of unease. In the fourth quarter alone, they committed five fouls and struggled to convert the few free-throw opportunities they had. By the final buzzer, they had made just 5 of 11 free throws, turned the ball over 14 times compared to Indiana’s six, and accumulated a total of 22 fouls.

The tension was written on every Atlanta Dream player’s face. Frustration ran high, particularly for Allisha Gray and Rhyne Howard, who were briefly benched after reacting emotionally to a key call. Understandably so. Howard struggled twice to inbound the ball in the final seconds, with Lexie Hull coming from behind to poke it away, turning critical possessions into costly mistakes. That frustration, of course, spilled amongst the teammates as well.

As DeMita pointed out, “You saw a time when Allisha Gray picked up her third foul and she went over to the bench. You could see the visible frustration and then you could see the frustration between teammates.”

And that’s one problem that the Indiana Fever has not struggled with this year, not after DeWanna Bonner’s departure. They do not get stuck. For them, every next moment is a moment to turn things around. As Lexie Hull rightfully pointed out a week or two ago, “I think this year we’re just a tighter group.” All the adversity surrounding the team forced them to bond and stick closer together, and they’re reaping the benefits of that closeness.

But we can’t ignore the actual basketball for too long. Lexie Hull had a fabulous steal at the very end of the game to deny Atlanta a chance at victory. She perfectly predicted the inbound pass to secure Indiana’s semifinal berth after an entire decade! “That was huge,” DeMita said about her steal. “And Lexie Hull, she hasn’t been shooting great during this series, but game two? She had that dagger that changed all the momentum of that game. It’s like with Lexie, she might not have the greatest shooting night, but she’s going to do the little things, and she’s going to contribute.”

Regardless of what you attribute Atlanta’s loss to, the loss is bound to hurt the organization. And for Indiana? Murky waters lie ahead. They might’ve turned the tide on the Dream, but Las Vegas is going to be a different challenge, especially when the Fever is not at full-strength. But what can we expect from this round 2 matchup? Let’s take a look!

Indiana Fever versus Las Vegas Aces: What’s in store for round 2?

The Indiana Fever have done it! They flipped the odds, turned the tables, and came out on top against the Atlanta Dream. It was a completely unexpected win, and it solidified the team’s legitimacy when their star is not on the court. However, things aren’t gonna get any easier for the Fever going forward, especially considering their second-round matchup–the Las Vegas Aces.

A’ja Wilson, NaLyssa Smith, Jackie Young, Chelsea Gray–are you intimidated yet, or should I mention they have Jewell Loyd too? Becky Hammon’s team is stacked with talent and knows how to win. Two championships in three years is no small feat, and considering that they’re going for number three, you already know that the playoffs feel like home to them.

So, how does Indiana match up against them? Well, the biggest issue is going to be size. Managing Wilson and Smith’s length will be difficult, especially considering that Damiris Dantas isn’t fully fit just yet. But size was the Fever’s issue against Atlanta, too, and they managed to overcome it with pure speed, so there’s hope just yet.

But because of the issues with size and A’ja Wilson’s MVP-caliber career, it seems likely that the Las Vegas Aces will come out ahead in this matchup. ESPN’s matchup predictor is also thinking along similar lines, allowing the Aces a 63.9% chance of winning! It will be interesting to see how Indiana will adapt and prepare for this overpowered matchup. Can they turn the beat around once again? Or will they finally succumb to a higher seed? Stay tuned to find out!