When the Indiana Fever closed out their last regular season against Minnesota, 3 of the 5 players on the court weren’t even on the training camp roster. That was the Fever season summed up. Stephanie White had to train 18 different players and experiment with countless more rotations. To the very last game. But even if the ‘championship favorites’ tag slipped away, the squad powered through like few have before.

After Caitlin Clark made her injury status official, the Fever hit a record uncalled for– White’s team became the only one in the past 3 years to have five season-ending injuries. 4 of them even had multiple starts to their name. Yet, Indy not only secured its first winning record since 2015 but also set a new franchise record for most wins in a regular season.

“You all have made it clear that you have championship ambitions and throughout the season, you know, through the ups and downs, through the injuries. You talk about DeWanna Bonner leaving the team pretty early. Talk about losing five players with season-ending injuries,” Candace Parker discussed the season with Aliyah Boston on their podcast. But while that was a good description, nothing spoke about the roller coaster ride better than their team picture did.

On the Post Moves podcast, the forward reflected on how the Fever kept pushing forward despite all the changes. “Our team picture was huge. We had a team picture, we had everyone up there. It was so funny, but I think it goes to just show how it’s been for us all season. But that we didn’t let it, number one, define us or even slow us down. Like whoever came in, whenever they came in, we just knew that, okay, welcome to the squad. We are going to be ready to compete. We’re going to be ready to play and we’re going to have fun,” she said.

The Fever have had to shuffle the deck all season, bringing in players on hardship waivers and plugging them straight into the rotation. Aari McDonald stepped up as a starter after DeWanna Bonner’s departure to the Mercury. ‘Blessing in disguise,’ they had called her. Chloe Bibby became a reliable spark off the bench. And Odyssey Sims has slid right into the backcourt alongside Kelsey Mitchell. Somehow, despite all the changes, the Fever kept finding ways to adjust and stay competitive. It’s been survival mode all year, but this group never stopped fighting.

Aliyah, herself, has quietly put together the best season of her career. She’s averaging 15.1 points while shooting a blistering 53.9% from the field, which is top 5 in the league. On top of that, she’s pulling down 8.1 rebounds and dishing out a career-high 3.7 assists per game. Through all the injuries and roster changes, Boston has been the anchor. The Fever have been campaigning for her to land an All-WNBA spot, and it’s hard to argue against it.

Kelsey Mitchell has been right there alongside Boston, putting together a season to remember. The eight-year veteran is having the best year of her career, closing in on the 900-point mark. She hasn’t missed a single game, suiting up for all 44 in a season where Indiana has struggled just to keep a roster intact. Mitchell is averaging 20.3 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game, shining as the constant bright spot for the Fever through all the chaos. And in the last 21 games Indiana has played without Caitlin Clark, Mitchell has poured in 448 points, showing exactly how much this team relies on her night after night.

Boston and Mitchell may have kept the Fever afloat, but coach Stephanie White hasn’t shied away from laying out her expectations as the playoffs approach.

Stephanie White lays out her expectations for the Indiana Fever

It’s been a season to remember for the Fever despite all the chaos. They closed things out on a high, winning their last three games, including the finale against the Minnesota Lynx. Now, as they head into the playoffs as either the 6th or 7th seed, coach Stephanie White has already set the tone with her expectations as the team gears up to face either the Dream or the Aces.

“The message is, you know, we’re not happy to just be in the playoffs,” White said. “We want to compete in the playoffs. We want to be a team that is competing for championships. And in order to compete for championships, you don’t play the score. You don’t play the opponent. You play the standard.” That’s the mentality it takes to succeed, and you wouldn’t expect anything less from the 2023 Coach of the Year.

It’s still too early to say just how far the Fever can go, but with the playoffs shifting to a 1:1:1 format, they’re guaranteed a home game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. And if this season has shown us anything, it’s that the place will be rocking. And who knows, maybe another upset like the Commissioner’s Cup finals could still be on the cards?