Two Commissioner's Cup games on the Thursday slate, and both delivered. Indiana controlled Atlanta from the second quarter onward in a game defined by Kelsey Mitchell's most efficient performance of the season and a Fever defense that held the Dream to 34.3 percent from the field. In Minneapolis, Minnesota and Golden State traded blows for 40 minutes in the best game of the Cup so far, with the Lynx pulling away on the strength of Olivia Miles's historic three-point shooting night and 14 offensive rebounds that generated 20 second-chance points. Here's how it all went down.

Atlanta Dream 71, Indiana Fever 83

Tied 15-15 after one quarter. Then Indiana flipped the switch. The Fever outscored Atlanta 23-14 in the second, stretched the lead with a 24-22 third quarter, and closed it out 21-20 in the fourth. The biggest lead was 15. Final: 83-71, and Indiana moves to 1-0 in Commissioner's Cup play behind one of the more efficient offensive performances of the week.

Kelsey Mitchell was the story. She went 11-of-15 from the field, including 3-of-4 from three, for 25 points on 81.0 percent true shooting. Her two-point efficiency (8-of-11, 72.7 percent) reflected how easily she found space inside and around Atlanta's defense all night. She added two steals, two assists, and five fast-break points on a perfect 2-of-2 transition conversion rate, and her plus-14 was the best among Indiana's starters. This is the kind of performance that defines why Mitchell is one of the most dangerous scoring guards in the league when her shot is falling. Aliyah Boston complemented her beautifully, going 6-of-12 from the field (3-of-4 from three) for 19 points with seven rebounds and three blocks on 69.0 percent true shooting, though four turnovers were a recurring problem in a game where Atlanta converted 14 Indiana miscues into nine points. Caitlin Clark drew 10 fouls and finished with 17 points and eight assists on a 2.67 assist-to-turnover ratio, her lane-drawing ability keeping Indiana in comfortable possessions throughout. Indiana shot 44 percent from three (11-of-25) and went 80 percent from the free throw line (12-of-15), a balanced offensive recipe that Atlanta had no consistent answer for.

Atlanta's night fell apart at the shooting level. The Dream shot 34.3 percent from the field and went 0-of-4 from midrange, leaving too many possessions empty against an Indiana defense that blocked seven shots and generated six steals. Rhyne Howard, coming off her spectacular 36-point Cup performance Tuesday, had a night to forget: 2-of-9 from the field for eight points with three steals but two turnovers and a minus-9. Allisha Gray shot 5-of-18 (27.8 percent) for 13 points with a minus-11. Jordin Canada contributed 13 points and seven assists on 4-of-12 shooting but fouled out and finished at minus-11. Angel Reese had a double-double (11 points, 10 rebounds) with four offensive boards, but four turnovers and four fouls undercut a line that could have been more impactful. Atlanta's biggest lead was four points in the opening minutes, and they never led after the first quarter ended tied.

IND 83 · ATL 71

Golden State Valkyries 84, Minnesota Lynx 87

This was the game of the night. Golden State led 22-18 after the first quarter and looked like they might be the better team through the first 10 minutes. Then Minnesota took the second (24-22), third (23-22), and fourth (22-18) quarters in a grind that went down to the wire. The Valkyries had an answer for everything the Lynx threw at them until the final four minutes, when an 11-0 Minnesota run stretched the lead to its biggest margin of 81-75. Golden State made it close again (84-87), but could not complete the comeback. Final: Minnesota 87, Golden State 84, and the Lynx stay perfect in Commissioner's Cup play at 2-0.

Olivia Miles was remarkable. She went 9-of-16 from the field, including 8-of-11 from three, for 28 points on 82.9 percent true shooting with seven assists, one turnover, and three blocks. An 8-of-11 three-point performance is one of the most prolific individual three-point nights in WNBA Cup history. Miles barely attacked the paint (one two-point attempt) and instead operated almost entirely from the perimeter, dragging Golden State's defense out of their preferred interior positioning and creating driving lanes for everyone else in the process. Her 7.0 assist-to-turnover ratio was the cleanest of any primary ball-handler in the game. Kayla McBride added 14 points on three made threes with eight rebounds and six second-chance points on 50 percent second-chance conversion. Natasha Howard had a double-double (12 points, 10 rebounds) on 4-of-12 shooting, fighting through Golden State's physicality for five offensive boards and 20 Minnesota second-chance points overall as a team. Minnesota's 14 offensive rebounds leading to 20 second-chance points was the other dominant statistical story alongside Miles's shooting.

Golden State pushed Minnesota harder than anyone has in Cup play. Janelle Salaun was the Valkyries' best performer, going 6-of-11 from the field (5-of-8 from three) for 17 points on 77.3 percent true shooting with three assists and a tech foul as the only blemish. Tiffany Hayes came off the bench to go 6-of-9 (5-of-7 on two-pointers) for 15 points on 75.9 percent true shooting with five second-chance points on a perfect 1-of-1 second-chance conversion. Cecilia Zandalasini added 18 points on 5-of-14 shooting with four made threes and a perfect 4-of-4 from the line. Golden State had just seven turnovers and a 3.0 assist-to-turnover ratio, went a perfect 10-of-10 from the free throw line, and generated 19 points off Minnesota's 12 turnovers. Their bench produced 37 points. None of it was quite enough when Miles kept hitting threes and Minnesota kept crashing the glass. Gabby Williams had a rough night, going 2-of-10 from the field for five points at 25 percent true shooting in a game where the Valkyries needed more from their starting wing.

MIN 87 · GSV 84

Day 4 of the Commissioner's Cup tightened the standings. Indiana is now 1-0 in the East after a controlled performance behind Mitchell's efficiency and a defense that held Atlanta's stars well below their standards. Minnesota remains the team to beat in the West, now 2-0 in Cup play with consecutive wins that have featured dominant performances from different players each night. Golden State showed Thursday night that they are capable of matching the Lynx possession for possession, and the 87-84 result suggests the Valkyries are a genuine Western Conference Cup threat even in defeat. Atlanta drops to 0-2 in Cup play and needs to rediscover the offensive rhythm that made them so dangerous in the early part of the week.

Star of the Night: Olivia Miles, Minnesota Lynx

28 points | 9-of-16 FG | 8-of-11 from three | 7 assists | 1 turnover | 3 blocks | 7.0 AST/TO ratio | 82.9% true shooting | Efficiency score 30

Eight three-pointers on 11 attempts in a Commissioner's Cup game, combined with seven assists and one turnover, is a performance that demands the top honor without debate. Miles's shooting defined not just her individual night but Minnesota's ability to weather every Golden State run. The Lynx win this game because she kept hitting shots every time the Valkyries threatened to take the lead back.

Dud of the Night: Rhyne Howard, Atlanta Dream

8 points | 2-of-9 FG | 2-of-5 from three | 2 turnovers | minus-9 | 38.8% true shooting

Howard came in riding one of the best Cup performances of the week (36 points on Tuesday) and ran into an Indiana defense that completely disrupted her rhythm. Two made field goals on nine attempts with a minus-9 in a 12-point road loss reflects a night where the Fever's game plan worked perfectly. Atlanta needs Howard's best to compete, and Thursday she was a shadow of Tuesday's version.