Resilient Indiana Fever End Major Streak Without Caitlin Clark

When the season started, Odyssey couldn’t have imagined replacing Caitlin Clark on the Indiana Fever side. The veteran was focused on her role in LA, contributing in scoring and playmaking. She had also just dropped a career-high 32-point performance, having Kelsey Plum admit, “She’s one of the fiercest competitors in the league.” But thanks to roster limitations, the Sparks let her go after just 12 games. For  Stephanie White, though, it was quite fortunate. The Fever HC took note of Sims’ experience after her point guards were sidelined, and weeks in, the veteran paid back in dividends. 

Kelsey Plum and Co. were up 3-0 in the series coming into this game. That record gave them the tiebreaker for the playoff qualification. It meant the Fever had to win this or see their playoff hopes drown. The Sparks were on their way to out-muscling the Fever for the fourth time with a 3-point lead with seconds to go. It was a roller coaster that even made Sophie Cunningham nervous. “Is it always this stressful being a fan? I can’t take it… can’t sit still,” she tweeted. Then Sims made Sparks regret releasing her.

First, the guard pulled up from downtown to tie the game. Azurra Stevens put the lead on their side of the ledger by making her free throws. Just 1 point separating the two, anything was possible, but Sims willed Fever to the victory. After a kick back from Lexie Hull, she drove into the paint and made a 10-foot floater. 

The game wasn’t over yet, as Sparks were quickly back on the other end looking for the winner, but Aliyah Boston made the most important steal of her career to ensure the win. Sims finished with a 21-point 3-assist performance, along with Boston, who continued her form with 22 points, 11 rebounds, and five steals. Another emergency signing in Aeriel Powers chipped in with crucial 9 points and 6 rebounds. Playing without Caitlin Clark for the fourth time against the Sparks, coach Stephanie White wanted to have the last laugh in a lost series. 

She told the media before the game, “We have had some matchup challenges with LA. Their length has affected us in a lot of different ways. We’ve got to be better tonight than we’ve been throughout the course of the season against them. You know, no matter who’s on the floor for us, and that’s just part of it.”

By now, the constant change is the norm for White and Co. Clark has only played 13 games, while the team has brought in about 5 different players on emergency contracts. Maybe that was the advantage the Fever held against Sparks– this was a new starting lineup LA hadn’t faced before. White wasn’t looking to let Kelsey Plum and Co. sweep the series. “No one wants to be swept um you know, in a series, and I think some pride certainly on the line there,” the coach had said, and Sims ensured that. 

It seems like every player the Fever touches turns into gold. It’s almost a miracle that they are qualifying for the postseason without Caitlin Clark and with 3 guards ruled out for the rest of the season. 

Only an unprecedented collapse can stop Indiana Fever’s playoff qualification

The Indiana Fever were once the favourites for the title. Then the injury bug caught on, and they just kept falling. By midseason, the Fever were pushing on fumes, with at least a couple of players being a consistent presence on the injury report. Looking at their final few games to end the regular season, many held doubts about whether this team could make it in the top 8. However, this team has powered through. After this win, the Fever stand 6th in the points table with a 21-18 record. 

The Seattle Storm are on their heels, but White’s side is 3-0 against them. Coming up next are the Golden State Valkyries, who are also vying for their postseason in their first time out in the league, but the Fever have 2 games on them. Arguably, the worst of their end-of-season is over. They have Chicago, whom they have defeated four times, with and without Caitlin Clark. Then there are the Washington Mystics, who are out of the playoff race. 

Despite a 1-2 record against the young side, current form favours the Fever. The couple of games that could be dicier are the Phoenix Mercury and the Minnesota Lynx. However, they can afford a loss or two, and the team’s longest losing streak this season stands at 3. Even if they match that, the Fever will finish with a  23-21 record. ESPN projects this win total, and they’re still locked in for the playoffs. With Clark making some progress, the season might even turn out to be an improvement on 2024.