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USA Today via Reuters

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USA Today via Reuters

The Indiana Fever delivered one of their most competitive performances of the 2026 WNBA season against the Washington Mystics. In this game, Caitlin Clark exploded with 32 points in a thrilling back-and-forth battle. However, the Fever still came up short in a heartbreaking 104-102 loss. But by the end of the night, fans weren’t worried about the results because their biggest concern was what happened in the third quarter with Aliyah Boston.

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With 2:01 left on the clock, Boston suddenly checked out of the game and never returned to the floor, only for the Fever to announce later that she suffered a lower-leg injury. Though there was no obvious play or clear moment where the injury occurred, with Indiana set to face the Seattle Storm in less than 24 hours, everyone is asking just one question: Will the Fever star play?

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According to the latest injury report, the 24-year-old is officially listed as questionable for the matchup.

Now, that uncertainty naturally has fans worried, considering everything she has already battled through over the last few months. Aliyah Boston has been managing a lower-leg issue ever since she suffered an injury during Unrivaled in February. The recovery process from that forced her to miss the FIBA World Cup Qualifier in March as well as Indiana’s first two preseason games of this season. Even though she returned, the Fever remained cautious with her workload and placed her on a minutes restriction to open the regular season.

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Against the Mystics, she logged in 21 minutes and finished with nine points before exiting the game. While those numbers may not fully reflect her impact, her presence in the lineup is crucial for a Fever team still trying to establish consistency in this season.

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The injury report also included Justine Pissott and Bree Hall, who were both listed as game-time decisions due to the coach’s decision.

But with Boston’s status uncertain, the most important question now is – if she cannot suit up, who will take her position?

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Indiana Might Need Unexpected Heroes if Aliyah Boston Sits Out

The Fever currently sit at 1-2, which makes the possibility of losing one of their key players even more concerning.

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Replacing a post player with her presence won’t be easy, especially for a roster that leaned heavily toward adding guards during the offseason. That approach left Indiana’s frontcourt with very little proven depth behind a player averaging 12 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists per game.

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Her ability to control the paint, battle on the glass, and create space for Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell has quietly become one of the most important parts of Indiana’s system.

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So if Aliyah Boston cannot suit up against Seattle, the Fever will likely turn toward Damiris Dantas, Myisha Hines-Allen, and Makayla Timpson. However, whether the team can truly lean on them remains doubtful.

The Fever’s lone win of the season came against the Los Angeles Sparks, and that game exposed just how thin the frontcourt rotation of this team can look. In that game, Boston was having an off-night, which shifted the spotlight onto the backup options, and the results were rough.

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Dantas picked up four fouls in only 11 minutes and struggled defensively against quicker matchups. Hines-Allen also logged just 11 minutes while providing limited offensive production, and Timpson barely saw enough playing time to make a meaningful impact on either end of the court.

Of course, the WNBA has a history of role players stepping up when teams least expect it. Still, based on how Indiana’s season has unfolded so far, losing Aliyah Boston would create a major problem for a Fever team that already looks vulnerable inside.

So now all eyes will be on the final injury report ahead of tip-off against Seattle. But if the Fever’s center is unable to go, Indiana may suddenly find itself facing a much bigger challenge than just stopping the Storm.

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Ojus Verma

789 Articles

Ojus Verma is a College Basketball and WNBA author at EssentiallySports. As head of the Analysis Desk and a former player with 13 years of experience, he specializes in decoding tactics, player development, and the evolution of rivalries shaping the game. Ojus’ coverage of the Caitlin Clark-Angel Reese saga, dating back to their college days, has earned recognition for its balance of insight and context.

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