It was a chalk Game 1 between the Indiana Fever and the Atlanta Dream. After an excellent regular season, the Dream checked an essential box by taking their first home playoff game against the Fever. Now it’s a win-or-go-home contest on Tuesday for Indiana, and the competitive sparks will be flying.
The Dream are four-point favorites on the road and hold -180 odds on the moneyline on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Fever, as home underdogs, are +150 on the moneyline. The total is set at 159.5 points. Let’s take a look at the best bets and predictions for this Fever–Dream matchup.
Fever vs. Dream prediction, pick
Atlanta made a crucial change in the lineup that helped deliver victory in Game 1. Naz Hillmon, the presumptive Sixth Player of the Year, was in the starting lineup over Brittney Griner. While it did make them smaller, it gave them more versatility and athleticism. Hillmon was certainly their player of the game, providing efficient scoring, rebounding, and a defensive presence.
Indiana looked like a more extreme version of the team we’ve seen the past couple of months. Kelsey Mitchell was doing all the offensive lifting, scoring 27 points on 9-of-18 shooting. However, as injuries have piled up, their lack of depth has been exposed; only one other player, mid-season signee Odyssey Sims, scored in double digits. The injury situation is so dire that they can’t even fit all of their inactive players on the bench.
It’s becoming apparent that the weight of these injuries has crushed all hope for Indiana. It was a commendable effort to improve their win total and pull out the Commissioner’s Cup Championship. But against a deep and talented Atlanta Dream squad, the road ends here for the Fever. A shame to go out like this.
