Think the Indiana Fever couldn’t get any thinner? Think again. Lexie Hull was added to the injury report  for Game 2 concerning a lower back injury. She was listed as questionable after she was seen wearing a heat therapy pad around her lower back during the Fever’s shootaround Tuesday morning. However, Hull battled through the discomfort and put up arguably her best playoff performance in the 68-90 loss: 15 points, three rebounds, and 2 assists. With her five three-pointers, Hull tied the franchise record for most three-pointers in a playoff game, a feat that hadn’t been achieved for a decade.

“I’m feeling sore still, but I think just a lot of treatment, trying to get our bodies as ready as we can be,” Hull said after the game. “Part of the playoffs, I think for everyone is it’s the end of the season, everyone’s a little fatigued and a little sore.” The Fever desperately need Hull in that crucial Game 3, which is coming up on Friday. The latest update is that Hull missed part of the latest Indiana Fever practice, as reported by Chloe Peterson.

“Lexie Hull is not running in the Fever’s final drill of practice. She’s standing off to the side, wearing the back warmer, as first and second team run 5-on-0 drills. Aerial Powers and Shey Peddy switched off, filling in for her on the first team.”Wrote Peterson.

It’s unclear whether Hull participated in the rest of the practice session since she was seen resting only in the final session. She had mentioned some rest coming up for her before Game 3. “It will be a good rest day tomorrow, but I think that’s just for everyone. We’re just pushing through.” She had said. So, it’s likely no reason to panic even if she had missed the session altogether. 

The Fever star has been on the receiving end of some tough blows throughout this season, but especially this series. In game 1, A’ja Wilson rammed her to the ground, which was just one of her falls, and game 2 wasn’t any different. The Game 2 feature on the injury report was a direct cause of these hits. 

“Her initial injury happened the very first time she got run over (on Sunday), which was in the first quarter,” White said. “And she took a lot of hits. She took four or five, you know, pretty solid hits in the ball game. And so it just continued to get reaggravated, and overnight was not kind to her.”

Hull is tough as nails and will give back in the same breath while accepting the increased muscle in the post-season. “Part of being in the playoffs is embracing the contact and keeping your head in the game,” Hull said. “Every possession counts, and you can’t let a hard hit shake you mentally.” Both the coaches already protest this physical nature, but the players can’t do anything about it. As the series goes on, Hull’s importance only increases to the Indiana Fever. 

Lexie Hull is Like A Unicorn For The Indiana Fever

Lexie Hull has put her body on the line throughout the season. She was elbowed in the face by Kayla McBride in the Minnesota Lynx game, and just two days after, there was a nasty collision with Gabby Williams. Hull isn’t the type of player who worries about racking up the stat sheet. She averaged a modest 7.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.8 assists in the regular season. Rather, she does the dirty work on defense and on offense. 

Hull was the best defender on the Fever team in the regular season with a defensive rating of 99.8. In the playoffs, that has improved to 95.5. The Fever used to rely on outside shooting to stretch defenses, but the loss of Sophie Cunningham and Caitlin Clark derailed those plans. Hull was on a hot streak for a few games, but her three-ball died down. 

With her threes making a revival, she is just even more invaluable. Hull can now play with Kelsey Mitchell to provide a more credible outside threat rather than rely on the paint points. Only 21.6% of their points in the playoffs have been 3-pointers as opposed to 29.3% in the regular season. Therefore, the Fever need Hull at their best, and the fact that she is resting up could be just recharging for the actual game. The series is tied 1-1 as it goes to Indiana’s house at Gainbridge , and Hull is a fan favourite. Her mere presence on the court will increase the crowd’s intensity.