Indiana Fever ahead Natasha Howard struggled towards the Atlanta Dream on Tuesday, scoring 6 factors on simply 3-9 shoooting.
Two nights later, towards the identical Dream opponent, she was nearly unrecognizable.
The 33-year-old veteran erupted for a game-high 26 factors on 12-17 taking pictures. That offensive manufacturing was particularly essential as a result of the remainder of the Fever starters mixed for simply 13-39 taking pictures and risked starting a highly-anticipated season with a 1-2 file.
How did Howard flip issues round so dramatically?
“Getting out my very own head — that’s the factor,” Howard informed reporters after the win. “I used to be in my very own method. Thank god I’ve my teammates behind me to deliver that confidence out of me tonight, but additionally my coaches as properly.”
Howard mentioned she meditated, prayed, and obtained encouragement from her spouse forward of Thursday’s recreation.
“That’s the one approach to get me going as a result of we obtained an extended season and I don’t should be in my very own head and in my very own method,” he mentioned.
Earlier Thursday morning, she fittingly posted a prayer on Twitter.
“So don’t worry, for I’m with you; don’t be dismayed, for I’m your God. I’ll strengthen you and provide help to; I’ll uphold you with my righteous proper hand.”
Isaiah 41:10 NIV— NATASHA HOWARD ⚡️FLASH⚡️ (@THoward_6) Could 22, 2025
By way of three video games, Howard is averaging 16 factors per recreation whereas additionally elevating the Fever’s protection, which ranked close to the underside of the league final season.
Final season, as a member of the Dallas Wings, Howard averaged 17.6 factors, 6.7 rebounds and a couple of.9 assists per recreation. In 2019, she was the WNBA’s Defensive Participant of the Yr.
Sophie Cunningham makes her Fever debut
Natasha Howard wasn’t the one Fever offseason acquisition who impacted Thursday’s recreation. Sophie Cunningham missed the primary two video games of the season with an ankle sprain, made her debut on Friday, including 9 factors on 3-6 taking pictures in 20 minutes off the bench.
She additionally tallied 6 rebounds and three assists, and hit a three-pointer within the waning seconds of the primary quarter.
The Fever entered this season with championship expectations, and although they’ve confirmed flashes of greatness within the early days, the Dream have proved to be a formidable opponent. Dream guard Rhyne Howard led the way in which with 24 factors on Thursday, Brionna Jones added 15 factors and 11 rebounds, and Allisha Grey and rookie Te-Hina Paopao every added 11 factors.
“I don’t really feel like we match up properly with them,” mentioned Fever coach Stephanie White of the Dream. “They’re powerful to deal with. They obtained loads of Olympians, they’re fast and expert on the perimeter. They’re massive and powerful and difficult on the inside. They’re skilled. We’ve got to make use of our versatility to fight a few of that dimension that they’ve, and now we have to make use of our depth to put on down their actually fast guards. That’s why it takes a collective effort.”
On Thursday, it was Natasha Howard that spearheaded that cost.
