The 2025 WNBA season has been a rollercoaster for the Indiana Fever. The team has taken a fair share of hits with the league’s shift toward a more physical style of play. Caitlin Clark has been on the receiving end of that physicality multiple times, and Sophie Cunningham has felt it too. Despite the bruises, the Fever stunned the league with a first-round upset over the Atlanta Dream. They carried that momentum into the semifinals, stealing Game 1 from the Las Vegas Aces before falling in Game 2 to a more prepared opponent. After that opening win, however, Aliyah Boston struck a tone that echoed the fiery attitude of teammate Caitlin Clark.

Speaking to the media during her post-game availability, Aliyah shrugged off the humiliation and kept her response lighthearted despite the 22-point blowout loss suffered by the Fever. When asked about the physicality in the game, she said, “Yeah, I mean it’s how you look at it. Honestly, by the some of the fouls and the way it was going, it looks like we were almost too physical, but yet at the same time, I feel like we have to be able to get that on the other end.”

In game one of the series, the Indiana Fever had dominated the Las Vegas Aces, who couldn’t handle Indiana’s high intensity. But in this game, the Aces and more importantly, A’ja Wilson answered the call made by head coach Becky Hammon. While many players would be intimidated by these performances, Aliyah Boston took a page out of Caitlin Clark’s book.

I think sometimes when you just look at the game as a whole, when you look at the way that it works, sometimes you manipulate it into different ways, and you have smaller matchups. So, I mean, I just don’t think it’s really possible all the time for some of those smaller matchups to really do such a clean job of that. But hey, I’m here to hoop, so none of my business,” Boston continued.

Boston’s words come from past experience. Caitlin Clark is famous for dealing with tough situations with a different level of calmness. Barring a couple of rare instances, she has never lashed out at a referee or a player despite being the one to face the most physicality in the league. And in her absence, it seems like Aliyah Boston seems to be carrying on the same attitude that has made the Indiana Fever one of the best and relaxed locker rooms.

Despite the Fever’s ongoing complaints about the WNBA’s increasingly physical style, Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon isn’t ready to shoulder any blame for this series. “The physicality is out of control, that’s for sure,” Hammon said. Drawing a cheeky comparison to the NFL, she argued that while defenders can only bump receivers for five yards in football, WNBA players are allowed to hold and grab for half the court.

“I mean, you can bump and grab a wide receiver in the NFL for those first five yards, but you can do it in the W for a whole half court. You put two hands on somebody like that, it should be an automatic foul. They have the freedom of movement.Freedom of movement?  There’s no freedom. And I’m not saying that we’re not fouling too. I’m not saying that. I’m saying it’s out of control.”

But will Boston and Co.’s calmness in the locker room and confidence in Gainbridge be enough to stop the re-energized Las Vegas Aces? Because we expect more push from the Aces after 2 slip-ups in the playoffs.

Can the Indiana Fever make home-court advantage count?

After splitting the first two games, the semifinal series between the Indiana Fever and the Las Vegas Aces is heading to Indiana for another two games, with the fourth one having the potential to be the decider. But after getting a reality check, can the Indiana Fever hold its home court and make it to the WNBA Finals for the first time since 2015? Odds say yes!

According to the odds, the Indiana Fever currently has a slight edge in predictions. ESPN’s analytics is giving them a 52.5% chance of winning the game. While the Aces are indeed the second seed, it is worth remembering that their road record was not that impressive for a team so high in the standings. Throughout the season, their away record was 13-9. The Fever, on the other hand, has a 13-9 record at home despite losing 5 players to injury this season.

The Indiana Fever’s advantage is the home support. While we’re not saying that the Aces fans are not great. But the Indiana Fever’s home support is at an entirely different level. With nearly 700,000 fans turning out across the season, even without Caitlin Clark, the Fever set the league standard for support

With the team deep in the playoffs after a decade, and the Fever has the home court advantage for two crucial games, the atmosphere is going to be at a whole new level this time around. This intimidating crowd may lead to a slow start for the Aces. And if game one was any indication, the Indiana Fever is well-equipped to make teams with low-intensity pay.

There might be an injury boost for the Fever as well. Ruled out since the playoffs due to a concussion, Damiris Dantas’ expected return date in September 26 (1 day before the game). If she is indeed back, it would be a big boost for the Fever as it would give them another defensive scheme to throw at A’ja Wilson.