Fever Lose to Brittney Griner, Dream amid Caitlin Clark Injury in WNBA Playoffs Game 1

The Indiana Fever couldn't overcome the absence of Caitlin Clark in Game 1 of the team's first-round playoff series against Brittney Griner and the Atlanta Dream, suffering an 80-68 loss at the Gateway Center Arena at College Park.

Indiana shot just 34.9 percent from the field without Clark, who didn't suit up on Sunday due to a groin injury.

Allisha Gray and Rhyne Howard combined to score 40 points for the Dream, while Griner recorded two points and two rebounds in eight minutes off the bench.

The Fever held a three-point lead at the end of the first quarter, but were outscored by the Dream 22-12 in the second.

While Indiana came back to tie the game 40-40 early in the third quarter, Atlanta immediately responded with a 16-7 run to gain separation once again.

The Fever were never able to recover, with the Dream going on to lead by as many as 16 points in the fourth quarter while they cruised to the series-opening win.

Howard and Gray led Atlanta offensively, but Naz Hillmon helped out with 16 points and nine rebounds on 5-of-7 shooting. Brionna Jones finished with 12 points of her own.

Indiana's entire rotation struggled outside of Kelsey Mitchell, who scored a playoff career-high 27 points while shooting 9-of-18 from the field. Mitchell also dished out four assists and recorded one block.

No other Fever player finished with more than 10 points, though.

Indiana hit just two of its 15 three-point attempts and couldn't consistently take care of the ball, committing 15 turnovers compared to 15 assists.

If the Fever can't defeat the Dream in Game 2 on Tuesday, it'll mark their second consecutive first-round playoff elimination.