The Indiana Fever have returned to winning ways after a brief slump. From being 5-5 at one point, they have won three straight games. Yet despite this winning spree, the Fever aren’t perfect, and players like Aliyah Boston know it all too well.

For context, there have been multiple games in the last few weeks for the Fever in which they have blown convincing double-digit leads. It hasn’t just made them work harder for their W’s but also put them in situations where they shouldn’t even have been in the first place. Boston recently addressed these issues ahead of the Toronto Tempo game.

“I think we’re still working on that part,” Boston said, as per reporter Dominic Miranda. “Not putting ourselves in that situation. But I’m still proud of us. Closing games, it doesn’t have to be pretty.”

“I feel like most of it is controllable for us, and I think that’s where we just have to get better is making sure that we continue to execute the things that we’re working, but then also I think defensively we have a little lapses here and there, and both teams that we played have just been able to capitalize on that,” Boston added.

In the last game against the Connecticut Sun, the Indiana Fever gave away an 11-point lead, according to Sports Illustrated’s Lindsay Burke. We even saw a recurring issue against the Chicago Sky when they blew a 19-point lead, forcing overtime.

Notably, the Indiana Fever won both these games. But the convenience and dominance in those wins were hardly there in these games. As Aliyah Boston said, defense can be a major reason for these blown leads.

For instance, if you look at the box scores for the last three games, the Fever have led after the first quarter each time. But somewhere in the middle quarters, their defensive system sort of becomes dysfunctional. The team has been outplayed in these phases of the game, failing to secure sustained defensive stops.

The Indiana Fever’s overall defensive rating has improved to 103.6. But the team is still conceding well over 44% FG this season. Thus, it’s absolutely non-negotiable for the Indiana Fever to consistently show their defensive identity throughout the game, especially in the middle quarters, to avoid giving up those leads.

Veteran Indiana guard Kelsey Mitchell also shared a plausible assessment while explaining the reason behind these blown leads- persistent fouls.

“I think a lot of it [is that we] get a little comfortable. But I think, like I said, discipline. And I think not fouling people, sending them to the line,” Mitchell had said in an interview a few days back, as per Sports Illustrated.

The assessment seems fitting. The Indiana Fever is currently leading the league in terms of personal fouls (23.9 per game), as per WNBA.com. Furthermore, in two of their last three games, the Fever have allowed 15+ points from the free-throw line.

Naturally, these unnecessary fouls will shift momentum away from the Indiana Fever and pose a daunting threat to their season. But Boston isn’t losing her sleep over Indiana’s persistent issues with holding leads.

Aliyah Boston Outlines the Way Forward in Limiting Blown Leads

The Indiana Fever will need an effort by committee to improve their defensive consistency. They are slowly getting into the groove in that regard, with Aliyah Boston and Lexie Hull spearheading the team’s defense. And this combined team effort is what Boston is banking on going forward.

“I think we’ve just had so many close games that we haven’t come out successful,” Boston said, as per the Indiana Fever’s YouTube channel. “So, for us, it’s about making sure that we stick together and, once again, just embrace that teams are going to go on runs, like we’re in a great league, and players are going to score. So, for us, it’s just staying consistent, staying together.”

From an individual perspective, Aliyah Boston has also seen a bit of struggle with her shooting. While it’s not a grave issue, the Fever center’s FG% has come down a bit. While in her first three seasons, Boston has consistently scored over 50%, this season her stat line stands at 49.3%, as per ESPN.

After her last game against the Connecticut Sun, where she scored 13 points, analyst Tony East also highlighted that Boston was struggling with her layups. Given her skill sets as a player, these hurdles seem to be a one-off rather than a persistent issue.

We can get a clearer explanation of it in the Indiana Fever’s next game against the Toronto Tempo on June 16 at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse.