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Aug 5, 2010 - 9:00 PM By ZAC POWELL STATS Writer

Atlanta (18-10) at Indiana (16-10), 7:00 p.m. EDT

A four-game losing streak by the Atlanta Dream helped the Indiana Fever take control in the Eastern Conference. The Fever's own skid has allowed the Dream to re-take first place.

Atlanta looks to maintain a one-game lead over sinking Indiana and win for the fifth time in six games when the clubs meet at Conseco Fieldhouse on Friday night.

The Dream (18-10) fell from first to third place with their season-high fourth straight loss July 21, but have bounced back in impressive fashion. The club followed the slide with four straight wins, the last of them a 90-74 rout of Indiana on Sunday that pushed it back into the top spot in the East.

Atlanta's run ended with an 86-78 loss to Washington on Tuesday.

"It's a close race in this conference," coach Marynell Meadors said. "We are always looking back over our shoulder because the East has been so tough and so close."

Angel McCoughtry scored 30 points against the Mystics, but Meadors' team couldn't hold a 64-58 lead with six minutes to play, making one field goal the rest of the way.

McCoughtry had 20 points and Iziane Castro Marques scored 22 on Sunday against the Fever, and the Dream appear to stand a good chance of getting back on track as the teams meet for the fifth and final time.

Indiana's third consecutive loss, 82-72 at home to New York on Tuesday, had coach Lin Dunn questioning her team's effort and considering personnel changes.

"I am concerned we are not playing harder," she said. "We need to go back to the drawing board and change the lineup. Our sense of urgency was not there."

Eastern Conference player of the month Tamika Catchings scored 19 points despite going 5 of 14 from the field, but Briann January's 10 points were the next-highest total for the Fever (16-10).

"We need everybody looking in the mirror and seeing what we can bring to the table," said Catchings, who scored 24 on Sunday.

Indiana plays five of its next six on the road, although it's won three of four there. The Fever have not lost four in a row since a six-game skid in July 2007.

The season series is tied at two games apiece, with the home team winning each time.