Aug 24, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White looks on against the Minnesota Lynx in the second half at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

Stephanie White Sends 2-Word Message on Fever's Biggest Playoff Challenge vs Dream

Originally posted on Indiana Fever on SI | By Grant Young | Last updated Sep 12, 2025 3:32 PM ET

When the final buzzer of the Las Vegas Aces' 103-73 win against the Los Angeles Sparks sounded on September 11, it meant that the Indiana Fever (who ended the 2025 regular season with a 24-20 record) knew they were facing the Atlanta Dream (who went 30-14 in 2025) in the first round of the WNBA playoffs.

If there's one person who's happy about this assignment, it's Fever star guard Sophie Cunningham, as she said in a September 9 episode of the Show Me Something podcast, "Our first round... I would like to play Atlanta. I think we match up best with them. We have Kelsey Mitchell, we have [Aliyah Boston]. Again, it's playoff experience. And so, Atlanta maybe has the least amount of playoff experience, if I'm not mistaken. And I think our team does too. So I think that would be our best matchup."

One has to respect Cunningham's optimism. However, given that she is out for the rest of the season with a torn MCL, she doesn't have to actually face the Dream.

Fever Coach's Past Comments on Atlanta Dream Matchup

Stephanie White would disagree with what Cunningham had to say, as she revealed when speaking with the media on May 22 by saying, "I don't feel like we match up well with [Atlanta]. I mean, they're tough to handle. Obviously, they've got a lot of Olympians, they're quick and skilled on the perimeter, they're big and strong and tough on the interior, they're experienced. So I feel like we have to use our versatility to combat some of that size that they have, and we have to use our depth to be able to try to wear down their really great guards."

Stephanie White Assesses Fever's Biggest Challenge vs. Dream

On September 12, White expanded on this sentiment when asked what her team's biggest challenge would be against the Dream during this upcoming WNBA playoffs series.

"Their size," White said, per a YouTube video from Tony East. "Their size at most all positions has been a challenge for us. So we're gonna have to combat that with our discipline, number one, and with our reads on the offensive end of the floor.

"Secondly. just the way they space the floor. I mean, they do a really good job... in shooting the three, but also doing it in a different way, and utilizing their post touches and their dominant interior players to score of to find open shooters," she continued.

The Fever are one of the smaller teams in the league. Therefore, a lot of pressure will be on center Aliyah Boston to keep both Brittney Griner and Brionna Jones contained in the post.

This article first appeared on Indiana Fever on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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