Early in the second quarter of the Indiana Fever’s preseason game against Atlanta on Thursday night, NaLyssa Smith was running up to the top of the key.

Celeste Taylor threw the ball out from under the basket to Grace Berger, then Berger whipped it over to Smith. There was just one thing between Smith and an easy floater: Dream guard Cheyenne Parker-Tyus.

But that’s no issue for the Fever forward.

Smith didn’t hesitate in drawing contact on her way to the basket, and Parker-Tyus crashed to the ground — enough so that her feet went all the way back behind her head. And Smith’s floater easily dropped into the basket.

Going into her third year with the Fever — and second in coach Christie Sides’ system — Smith is feeling confident. She is part of an established frontcourt duo with second-year center Aliyah Boston, and her team has attention on it like never before.

“I would just say I’m playing with confidence, giving what the defense gives me, driving,” Smith said. “One of my main things was just to get to the basket a lot more this year.”

This year, too, Smith is anticipating having more space with rookie Caitlin Clark, who, as a two-time National Player of the Year and 2024 No. 1 pick, naturally draws attention to herself.

While Smith and Boston got double-teamed frequently last season because of the Fever’s lack of a strong secondary 3-point shooter, Clark’s presence on the floor forces opposing defenses to spread out.

“(Clark is) getting her teammates open, she’s getting us open shots, and letting us get to the rim,” Smith said. “Everybody is so focused on her that it’s given us an opportunity, and she’s passing it out like a bullet.”

Indiana Fever forward NaLyssa Smith (1) rushes up the court Thursday, May 9, 2024, during the preseason game against the Atlanta Dream at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The Indiana Fever defeated the Atlanta Dream, 83-80.

While Clark is a facilitator, Smith has been the X-factor for both of Indiana’s preseason outings, including the 79-76 loss to Dallas and Thursday’s 83-80 victory over Atlanta.

Clark barely edged Smith’s 20 points with 21 of her own in the preseason opener against Dallas last week. Clark was less of a scorer Thursday night, putting in 12, but she produced elsewhere with eight rebounds and six assists.

Smith was the only player on the Fever roster who scored 20+ points in each of the Fever’s preseason games — she had a game-high 21 points on 56% shooting, along with six rebounds Thursday. She shot 9-of-16 from the field, which included 2-of-4 from 3-point range.

A 3-point shot is something Smith is trying to add to her arsenal — she averaged just 2.2 3-point attempts per game last season with a 28.4% clip. While she missed nine games last season because of a foot injury, she recovered in time to play a full overseas season in Turkey. Averaging 19.9 points a game on 56% shooting with Galatasaray helped her get back into WNBA shape.

“Going overseas, Lys is in great shape,” Sides said. “She’s doing things where she’s a threat. She was, what, 2-for-4 from 3? She’s shooting the ball, she’s getting extra workouts in.”

And on Thursday night, Smith got to showcase her skills to over 13,000 fans in Gainbridge Fieldhouse — the most for a Fever game since Tamika Catchings’ last regular-season game in 2016.

“The energy in Gainbridge is huge for us,” Smith said. “That’s what motivates us and pushes us to go the extra mile. I’m excited to see what the future holds with the fans. It’s an exciting time for us.”