Can Indiana Fever Still Qualify For WNBA Playoffs in 2025? Scenarios and Possible Opponent Revealed

With Caitlin Clark “hopeful” for a return, we had all our expectations on Indy to make it to the playoffs. But the Indiana Fever sensation is out for the remainder of the season, missing the team’s final three regular-season games and potential postseason play. Still, she had a positive ending to her upsetting update. “Now it’s time to close out the season and claim our spot in the Playoffs,” she wrote on X. Yes, Indy’s got a chance to make it to the playoffs. But can they grab one for CC?? Maybe!

While the playoff picture in the WNBA is getting tighter, Indy’s standing is right in the middle of the conversation. On Friday night, Atlanta secured a 104-85 win over the LA Sparks, which brought them up to two to claim a playoff spot. Now with Kelsey Plum & Co. further slipping away, and the Fever securing a 97-77 win over Chicago, Stephanie White has managed to keep her team well within the playoff picture.

As Indy outscored the Sky 31-15 in the first quarter, they held it tight. The lead after that was never cut to a single digit for the rest of the game until the Fever won. All thanks to the “next woman up,” Kelsey Mitchell, who put up a strong stat line with a game-high of 20 points and eight assists.

But a playoff spot is still a win away, and that win can only come if the Fever defeat either the Washington Mystics or the Minnesota Lynx. The easiest option is the Washington Mystics, a team that’s already out of playoff contention. Averaging 77.7 points per game, the Mystics are below LA with a 16-26 record.

No, it ain’t that easy, as for the last three games, the Mystics hold a 2-1 lead against the Fever. Despite scoring an average of 82 points with 25.3 rebounds and 19 assists against the Mystics, Indy’s only been able to grab their 85-76 win on 3-06-2025. But that was over a month ago.

Standing 7th on the table at 22-20, the Fever can be explosive to finish above the Sparks (19-22). But what if they lose? They’ve got to replicate the win they got against the Lynx in the Commissioner’s Cup finals. Despite averaging 87 points per game against the Lynx, the Fever are 2-0 against Napheesa Collier & Co. So grabbing a win against a team with a 32-9 record is harder.

But if you ask ESPN, Indy would make it either by hook or by crook. According to ESPN’s WNBA Basketball Power Index 2025, the Fever’s got a 92.2% chance of making it to the playoffs. The seed depends upon the number of wins, though!

There are five cases for the Fever going ahead:

• Losing both games and ending up with a worse record than the LA Sparks.
• If they grab both wins, they’ll tie NY and Seattle with 24 wins, and get the fifth seed. While Indy would be 4-3, NY 3-3, and Seattle 3-3. But this is only possible if NY Liberty lose out and Indy and Seattle win.
• Indy can finish with more wins than Seattle (22), Golden State (23), and LA (19). Or tie with only Seattle by having more wins than LA and GSV. If this happens, they’ll possibly get the sixth seed.
• Only if they get more wins than LA, GSV, and win at least the same number of games as Seattle, they’ll have the seventh seed.
• The most ideal scenario, to finish eighth seed, is possible when they’ve got more wins than LA, or win more games than GSV.

But can the Fever sail through the playoffs without Caitlin Clark?

Indy’s been through so many injuries, they’ve even got their 17th player added to the roster, but still, a championship win is tough to get. Especially since Caitlin Clark, the team’s core offense who was “hopeful” to return, is out for the remainder of the season. But despite all difficulties, the Fever’s still got a strong lineup.

Especially with Lexie Hull, Aliyah Boston, Natasha Howard, and Kelsey Mitchell, all four players who’ve played every single game. So, we’ve got a quartet of players experienced enough to guide the team into the postseason if the Fever gets another win. Kelsey and Boston are both putting up career-high averages in points.

Even Hull’s putting up a career-high with 7.2 points and 4.4 rebounds. Then there’s Howard, a three-time WNBA champion who’s been with Seattle twice and Minnesota. Even their add-ons Sims and Powers combine for 55 WNBA postseason games. In fact, Powers even won a WNBA title with Washington. So, there’s a solid core. After all, Indy’s defeated every team across the W except the Golden State Valkyries. But the dominance is only possible if the Fever grabs a win…