The Indiana Fever, led by Caitlin Clark, secured a dramatic 95-91 overtime victory against the Atlanta Dream on Saturday, a game that saw a pivotal late-game miss by the Dream's Angel Reese. The loss sent Reese, a prominent rival of Clark since their college days, to social media criticism.
In the closing seconds of regulation, with the score tied at 81-81, the Dream had an opportunity to win. Following a missed three-point attempt by Rhyne Howard, Reese secured the rebound but missed a layup at the buzzer. Her teammate Naz Hillmon was also unable to convert on the follow-up, sending the game into overtime.
The missed opportunity sparked immediate backlash on social media. Barstool founder Dave Portnoy and sports analyst Jason Whitlock were among those who publicly criticized Reese. Users on X, formerly Twitter, labeled her a "choke artist" and questioned her under-the-basket performance.
Earlier in the contest, Clark had a notable play where she shot a three-pointer over Reese's head. Reese finished the game with 15 points, 14 rebounds, and six assists. Clark contributed 26 points, including two free throws in the final minute of overtime, and added nine assists. Kelsey Mitchell also played a key role for the Fever, scoring 20 points, marking her 19th consecutive game with at least 20 points, and her layup with 13.6 seconds remaining in overtime ultimately secured the win.
The Dream's offense was spearheaded by Allisha Gray, who matched her career high with 32 points. Despite Gray's performance, Atlanta could not overcome Indiana's late-game push. The win improves the Indiana Fever's record to 23-12, while the Dream now stand at 21-13. Both teams are positioned to contend for homecourt advantage in the first round of the playoffs, as the top four teams in the league secure this benefit.