Despite dealing with multiple injuries to key players and facing a must-win situation to keep their season alive, the No. 6 seed Indiana Fever played with maximum effort and energy to defeat the No. 3 seed Atlanta Dream 77-60 on Tuesday, (Sept. 16.)

It was the Fever’s first playoff home game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse since 2016. Kelsey Mitchell scored a game-high 19 points, shooting 6-of-13 from the field, including 4-of-8 from 3. Aliyah Boston added 15 points and five rebounds. The Fever’s suffocating defense held the Dream to their second-lowest point total of the season.

For the Dream, Te-Hina Paopao scored 11 points and Rhyne Howard scored 10 points as the only players on the team to reach double digits. 

"This group has continued to show their heart and their character, night in and night out," Indiana coach Stephanie White said after the game.

"Our backs were definitely against the wall in this, and we know that we've just been through so much this season,"  Boston added. "Coming out with this win and then giving ourselves another chance in Game 3, emotions are high."

The Fever’s victory sets up a winner-take-all Game 3 in Atlanta on Thursday (September 18).

Facing a win-or-go-home scenario, the Seattle Storm played one of the best games of their season, defeating the Las Vegas Aces  86-83 in a Game 2 thriller. 

With the loss, the Aces’ winning streak was snapped at 17 games, one shy of the Los Angeles Sparks' single-season record of 18 consecutive wins that was set in 2001.

In the fourth quarter, the Aces held a 12-point lead, but the Storm clawed back into the game with a furious rally, outscoring the Aces 25-14 in the final period, including a 16-4 run to close out the game. 

Skylar Diggins led the charge for the Storm with 26 points, including a clutch jump shot with 4.2 seconds remaining to give Seattle the lead for good. 

"This team hasn't been beaten in a long time," Diggins said. "We felt like we could because we've had success versus them before this year. It was about putting together, first of all, the start that we wanted and playing with the type of force, physicality. We won the rebounding battle -- that was a big deal for us. And we kind of kept their others in place who have been playing really well coming off the bench."

Nneka Ogwumike added a double-double with 24 points and 10 rebounds, Dominique Malonga contributed 11 points and 10 rebounds, and hit a crucial layup and free throw to give the Storm their first lead in the final minute.

For the Aces, Jackie Young led the team with 25 points, and A'ja Wilson had a double-double with 21 points and 13 rebounds.

With the series tied 1-1, a winner-take-all Game 3 is scheduled for Thursday (Sept. 18)  in Las Vegas.