The Indiana Fever are going to the WNBA semifinals, and if there’s one message they sent loud and clear with their win over the Atlanta Dream, it’s this: “It ain’t over if it ain’t over.” The Dream might’ve counted them out.

The media may have written their Cinderella story before the second quarter. But Indiana had other plans — and three players in particular made sure the Dream left the court stunned, silent, and defeated: Lexie Hull, NaLyssa Smith (aka “O”), and Aliyah Boston.

The Fever came into this game knowing they weren’t supposed to be here — at least, not according to the preseason predictions. Remember when they were ranked near the bottom? Or when people called them “a rebuilding team with one star and no depth”?

Yeah, those days are long gone. What’s different now is that everyone in the rotation knows their role, and they play like they’ve got something to prove — because they do.

Lexie Hull might not get as much national attention as Caitlin Clark or even Boston, but her impact has become impossible to ignore. She’s the defensive engine of this Fever team — diving for loose balls, sticking to her matchup like glue, and injecting energy into every possession. Against Atlanta, Hull’s hustle set the tone.

Early in the first quarter, she drew a charge that flipped momentum and fired up the Indiana bench. Later, she stole a pass mid-air and took it coast to coast for a layup — and a roar from the home crowd. That play was more than just two points. It was a statement: Lexie Hull came to fight.

But if Lexie was the spark, NaLyssa Smith was the flame. The 6’4” forward, known for her physicality and midrange touch, absolutely cooked Atlanta’s frontcourt. Smith poured in bucket after bucket from the elbow, punishing defenders who gave her even an inch of space.

Her rebounding was elite, especially in the second half, where she pulled down multiple key boards that killed Atlanta runs before they could start. When the Dream tried to switch up and pressure Clark, Smith was always there — moving off-ball, catching dimes, and finishing strong. “O” didn’t just show up. She exploded.

And then there’s Aliyah Boston. The calm, composed, dominant post presence who plays like a ten-year vet. If you needed a reminder why she was last year’s Rookie of the Year and a No. 1 pick, this was it. Boston outworked and outclassed Atlanta’s bigs on both ends.

She showed footwork, patience, and touch around the rim. But more than that, she showed leadership — holding her teammates accountable, calming them in big moments, and making the kind of basketball plays that don’t always show up on stat sheets: tipping rebounds to teammates, anchoring the paint, and communicating through every defensive switch. She finished with a double-double that didn’t just lead the team — it anchored their identity.

Together, the trio of Lexie, O, and AB turned the Dream’s confidence into caution. Every Atlanta run was met with poise.

Every time the Dream tried to disrupt Indiana’s rhythm, someone stepped up — whether it was Hull’s grit, Smith’s power, or Boston’s grace. It wasn’t just that Indiana outplayed them. It’s that they outworked, outthought, and outlasted them.

And while the national coverage will naturally lean toward Caitlin Clark — who played brilliantly, with signature logo threes and jaw-dropping assists — it’s clear the Fever are far more than a one-player show.

What makes them dangerous in the playoffs isn’t just Clark’s star power. It’s that the supporting cast is no longer just “supporting.” They’re starring in their own right. Clark knows it. She’s said repeatedly in postgames: “I don’t have to do everything because I’ve got teammates like this.” And she’s right.

The Fever’s bench celebrated every hustle play like it was a game-winner. The coaching staff stayed composed but energized, clearly trusting their system and personnel. And the crowd?

They showed up like a sixth player on the floor — standing on every fast break, shouting through every defensive stand. This wasn’t just a win. It was a homecoming. Indiana basketball is back — and it’s loud.

Atlanta, meanwhile, struggled to find answers. After a hot start in Game 1, their offense sputtered. Rhyne Howard had her moments, but the Fever clamped down in the second half, forcing turnovers and pushing transition.

Tanisha Wright’s squad looked uncharacteristically rushed. By the fourth quarter, they were rattled. The Dream had energy, but Indiana had execution. That’s the difference between regular season flash and playoff grit.

The “it ain’t over if it ain’t over” vibe? That wasn’t just a saying. It was the soul of this game. Every time Atlanta thought they had Indiana on the ropes, the Fever responded.

When a 7-point lead evaporated in the third, Hull hit a corner three. When the Dream trapped Clark near half court, Smith slipped to the rim for an easy lay-in. When Boston got doubled, she kicked out perfectly to a waiting shooter. This is a team that refuses to fold.

Now, they head to the semifinals — a place they haven’t been in years. The journey only gets harder from here. The next matchup will test their maturity, conditioning, and depth.

But this team isn’t afraid. In fact, they’re leaning into the challenge. “Why not us?” someone reportedly said in the locker room postgame. Why not, indeed?

Lexie Hull’s intensity, NaLyssa Smith’s versatility, and Aliyah Boston’s steadiness have become essential. They’ve taken this team from potential to performance, from noise to results.

Every great playoff team has its stars, yes — but it’s the role players who evolve into difference-makers that shift the entire trajectory. Right now, Indiana has both.

The WNBA’s next chapter is about to get even more competitive, and the Fever aren’t sneaking in anymore. They’ve arrived. And they’re loud about it. The disrespect, the doubt, the assumptions? All fuel. They heard it. They held it. And then they turned it into fire.

No one knows how far they’ll go, but one thing is certain: If the game’s still in play, Indiana’s not done. And if Lex, O, and AB are locked in like this? Well — it ain’t over if it ain’t over.

And for the rest of the league, that should be terrifying.