Heartbreak m: Griner blames Officials After Dream’s Gut-Wrenching 87-85 Playoff Exit..
In a thriller that came down to the final buzzer, the Atlanta Dream’s season ended in agonizing fashion, falling 87-85 to the Indiana Fever in Game 3 of their first-round WNBA playoff series. The loss, witnessed by a raucous sellout crowd at Gateway Center Arena, capped a seesaw battle tied at 1-1 heading into the decider. For the Dream, it was a devastating narrow defeat that left stars like Brittney Griner fuming—and openly questioning the officiating that shaped the night’s drama.
The game was a defensive slugfest turned offensive fireworks in the fourth quarter. Atlanta, buoyed by Griner’s midseason arrival from Phoenix, controlled the paint early. The 6’9″ center, in her Dream debut playoffs, swatted four shots and poured in 18 points on efficient 8-of-12 shooting, including a thunderous dunk that ignited the home fans midway through the third. Teammates Rhyne Howard (22 points) and Allisha Gray (19 points) fueled a 10-2 run to grab an 82-79 lead with 2:30 left. But Indiana, resilient without injured sensation Caitlin Clark, clawed back behind Kelsey Mitchell’s clutch 25-point explosion and Aliyah Boston’s double-double (16 points, 12 rebounds).
The controversy peaked in the dying minutes. With the Dream up by two and 12 seconds on the clock, Mitchell drove baseline, drawing contact from Griner on a block attempt. Officials whistled Griner for her fourth foul—a call that stunned the arena. Replays showed minimal contact, but Mitchell sank both free throws to tie it at 85. On the ensuing possession, Howard’s inbound pass was picked off by Natasha Howard, leading to a game-winning layup by Boston at the horn. No foul on the steal? No whistle on a questionable push-off earlier by Mitchell? The calls—or lack thereof—hung heavy in the air.
Postgame, Griner didn’t hold back in the locker room scrum, her voice steady but edged with frustration. “We’ve been battling all series, and tonight it felt like the refs decided the outcome,” the ten-time All-Star said, echoing sentiments from Coach Karl Smesko, who called the late fouls “baffling.” Griner, a three-time Olympic gold medalist whose veteran leadership transformed Atlanta’s frontcourt, added, “I’m not saying we didn’t miss shots—we did. But when you’re protecting the rim and get tagged like that? Come on. We deserved better calls to let the game flow.” Her words drew nods from Howard, who tallied three turnovers partly from physical play left unchecked.
The Fever advance to face the New York Liberty in the semifinals, their first since 2015, powered by Mitchell’s heroics and Boston’s poise. For Atlanta, it’s back to the drawing board after a 22-10 regular season fueled by Griner’s arrival—a historic free-agent coup that promised contention. Yet this loss stings, amplifying calls for WNBA officiating reform amid a league riding record viewership.
Griner, ever the fighter, ended on resolve: “We’ll be back stronger. This fire? It’s just kindling.” As the confetti fell on Indiana, the Dream’s faithful chanted her name—a reminder that in the City of Dreams, heartbreak only sharpens the edge.
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