As injuries mounted for the Indiana Fever throughout the season and outside expectations diminished, Stephanie White’s message remained consistent.“Internally, we take pride in everything that we do, and it’s not pressure but it’s opportunity,” White said. “We take every opportunity that we can to grow and to learn and this opportunity’s no different.”From adversity came an opportunity, and Indiana grabbed it. An 87-85 win against the Atlanta Dream on Thursday night sent Indiana to the WNBA semifinals for the first time in a decade. They will play No. 2 Las Vegas Aces, who beat the Seattle Storm in another decisive Game 3, 74-73, on Thursday. Through three seasons of the best-of-three first-round format, no lower seed had advanced to the WNBA semifinals before No. 6 Indiana. In the 2024 postseason, no lower seed even won a game.No one would have faulted the Fever for losing in the first round of the WNBA playoffs, not after five season-ending injuries (Caitlin Clark, Aari McDonald, Sydney Colson, Sophie Cunningham and Chloe Bibby) and the additional loss of Damiris Dantas to a concussion. And the Dream were fully healthy, 16-6 at home during the regular season and playing their best basketball coming into the postseason.But the Fever didn’t bend, their victory proving to be a simultaneous testament to their star power and their depth. Three-time All-Star Kelsey Mitchell set a franchise record with 19 points in the first half, the lefty excelling from the right side of the floor. When the Dream changed their defensive coverages on her in the second half and gave Jordin Canada the assignment, Indiana went to Aliyah Boston. She responded with 11 points and five rebounds after halftime, including the game-winning basket.