Atlanta

Dream

Despite replacing Brittney Griner in the Dream starting lineup at the beginning of August, Hillmon was eligible for Sixth Player of the Year due to having played more games as a reserve than as a starter. Receiving 44 first-place votes, she averaged 8.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.2 three-pointers in 25.5 minutes. Rounding out the top five in voting were Minnesota’s Natisha Hiedeman and Jessica Shepard, Seattle’s Dominique Malonga and Phoenix’s Sami Whitcomb.

Howard was someone who was expected to step up especially after she scored just 10 points on 3-of-9 shooting against the Fever on Tuesday night. While her scoring total increased, she wasn’t very efficient and took questionable shots instead of trying to find the best shot for her team. With the Dream up just a point with 28.8 seconds remaining in regulation, Howard decided to take a three-pointer rather than trying to run off the clock before trying to extend the Dream’s lead. That Howard miss set up an Aliyah Boston rebound followed by Boston scoring at the rim on the other end, which was the score that won the Fever the game and the series.

Canada has put a lot of pressure on the rim and was incredibly efficient scoring the basketball. She couldn’t be stopped by the Fever’s perimeter defense as she scored often on Lexie Hull, Aeriel Powers and Kelsey Mitchell. Canada also made some incredibly difficult and shifty shots on her drives into the paint. But in addition to Canada’s scoring, she registered 10 assists and she distributed the ball to five different players in Allisha Gray, Rhyne Howard, Brionna Jones, Brittney Griner and Naz Hillmon. Between her scoring and assists, Canada was responsible for 41 of the Dream’s total 85 points, which over 48%.

Gray willed her team throughout the entire 40 minutes of this game and she was super efficient doing so. She was her most successful scoring in transition and using her speed to get past the Fever defense. Gray did get into some foul trouble early on which limited how much damage she was able to do on the floor both defensively and offensively. The Dream’s best player all season long was limited to 33 minutes in an elimination game. Gray told ESPN’s broadcast that she had never tried to rebound more intentionally in her life than she did on Thursday night. That showed on the box score as her 12 rebounds were the most she’s had during the entire 2025 season.

While her teammates had a rough night from beyond the arc, Paopao found her stroke in Tuesday’s Game 2 defeat. The rookie guard shot 3-of-5, with the other Dream players combining to make two of their 14 attempts. After scoring two points in six minutes on Sunday, Paopao’s playing time increased on Tuesday, but that was due to the score getting out of hand. Jordin Canada (four points, six assists and two steals) will continue to play the lion’s share of the minutes at point guard when the game is competitive. However, Paopao’s finish to Game 2 may get her an early look in Thursday’s Game 3, especially if the Dream needs a spark from deep.

Gray was responsible for the lone three-pointer hit by Dream starters on Tuesday, as they combined to shoot 1-of-13. By comparison, Atlanta’s starting five combined to go 7-of-19 from deep in their 80-68 victory in Game 1. Gray has shot 9-of-32 in two games from the field, a far cry from her 45.1 percent mark during the regular season. Offense tends to get tougher to come by during the postseason, but the Dream needs to get Gray untracked early in Thursday’s decisive Game 3. If not, their playoff stay could be a short one.

Atlanta’s starters had a rough night in Indianapolis, especially from beyond the arc. Howard missed all four of her three-point attempts, with the Dream starters shooting a combined 1-of-13. While she produced a few assists and steals, Howard’s overall performance was not good enough. Even with the Fever being severely shorthanded on the perimeter, the Dream will struggle to win games when Howard and Allisha Gray struggle offensively. That happened on Tuesday, and they’re headed home to play a decisive Game 3 on Thursday.

Hillmon was one of the Dream’s more productive players on Sunday, as she shot efficiently throughout the game en route to scoring in double figures. She outscored the Fever’s starting frontcourt singlehandedly while also providing a great impact on the defensive end of the floor, where she combined for four stocks and did a good job on the glass in the process. Hillmon ultimately fell one rebound shy of a double-double, and with similar production on Tuesday, the Dream could be in a good position to end the series with a Game 2 victory.

Howard was one of four Dream players to score in double figures as it proved difficult for either team to accumulate points efficiently. The fourth-year guard left the game briefly during the first half after colliding with the Fever’s Lexie Hull, then re-entered the game later in the half and helped bring some structure to the offense. Howard was far from an efficient scorer on Sunday, but her eight fourth-quarter points and overall presence on the offensive end were valuable in helping the Dream secure a series-opening victory.

Gray started the postseason off with a bang, as she finished as the Dream’s leader in steals, tied a team-high in points, and made contributions as a facilitator as well. The All-Star guard shot inefficiently from the floor but did utilize the free-throw line to make a difference as a scorer on Sunday. There’s still plenty of room for improvement in Tuesday’s Game 2, but Gray’s production in the series’ opening game was more than enough to help Atlanta to a 1-0 series lead.