9 games in 18 days. That’s the stretch through which the Indiana Fever locker room has been navigating, while the league keeps stacking fixtures in a tight rung. The packed schedule complicates any hopes of Caitlin Clark making a swift return from her groin injury, as the ghosts of inconsistency and discipline continue to haunt the team. Now, the Fever find themselves hanging precariously in the middle of the league standings, caught between flashes of promise and recurring setbacks.

The Fever started on the wrong footing against the second last team in the Western Conference standings on Saturday. And the 89-87 score was a testament to the overtly confident locker room. With Clark benched for the fifth time in a row owing to her left groin injury, the locker room slipped to a two-point slump against the Los Angeles Sparks. And needless to say, head coach Stephanie White was not amused with the result.

Known for her straight-forward personality, White came clean on the team’s failure in a post-game conference. “We did not do a good enough job of getting them out of there as quickly as we’d like to,” White started. “But you know, also offensively, their length affected us. Our decision-making wasn’t great. We over-penetrated at times. We had some some reads that were there that we didn’t see. And that’s an area we just got to continue to grow.” The HC took the blame for the locker room’s failure.

White agreed that the Fever put in a labored shift against the Sparks. And that they should have run with the game when they had the chance. Instead, their poor choices landed them at loggerheads with the Sparks. While the Fever had an upper hand in the first half, the Sparks finished strong to bring the score to 47-42. But what followed next was highly unexpected.

While White wished the team to be more disruptive in terms of ball possession, Fever majorly struggled to find a continued rhythm in the game. After all, the team made a massive 10 turnovers in Clark’s absence. “I felt like LA moved the ball too easily,” White had said, talking about the team’s inconsistencies. On the other hand, the Sparks handled the ball with elan and poise, making just 8 turnovers.

The Sparks not only caught up in the deciding quarter, they also successfully managed to throw the Fever off-track. While Azura Stevens’ three pointers and Dearica Hamby’s two pointer shots propelled the team to tie the scores, it was Kelsey Plum and Julie Vanloo that stole the spotlight and helped finish the third quarter with a single point lead.

While Lexi Hull, Aliyah Boston did push the team in the final quarter, they crashed as Rickea Jackson and Azura Stevens had the last laugh. In such a scenario, could Clark’s presence change the winds for the roster? We never know. But one thing is for sure: as a formidable force on the hardwood, the sophomore guard’s contributions could have marked a significant difference in the team’s standings.

Indiana Fever felt the absence of Caitlin Clark

“I don’t know where we’re going to be because Caitlin hasn’t been on the floor. That’s obviously a huge piece for us and what we do,” head coach of Indiana Fever Stephanie White had said. The Indiana Fever completed the 10th game of the season without star player, Caitlin Clark. The guard has been sidelined for the second time, owing to a left groin injury. While the team was displayed an inconsistent gameplay during Clark’s earliest regular game absence, things were different this time.

The Fever not only displayed more hunger in the hardwood, their combined efforts and determination were enough to solidify the team as the 2025 Commissioner’s Cup champions. Needless to say, the Indiana Fever battled it out against two-top ranked teams in Minnesota Lynx and the Las Vegas Aces. And emerged victorious. There was a visual shift in their identity. As a team that heavily relied on Clark to rally the offences, the locker room adopted to the new conditions without their superstar’s active presence.

Ahead of the tipoff against the Los Angeles Sparks, head coach Stephanie White had addressed the team’s progress. “I think we’ve found a little bit more of an identity defensively with this group,” White said. “We’re continuing, offensively, to move the ball a little bit better, to find our spots individually. And I think that that’s helped us.” Unfortunately, the three-game winning streak came to a halt as the team struggled to find momentum in the latest game.

This loss comes as a reality check to the roster that has been missing the central piece. But as Clark continues to watch from the courtside, can Indiana Fever turn this loss into an opportunity to balance the statistic and move towards clinching another victory? As the third ranked team prepares to face the newest team in Golden State Valkyries, things can go either ways for Stephanie White’s locker room.