The Indiana Fever have posted one of the greatest offenses recorded in the modern WNBA, and yet they are not the most obvious choice to win the title. While Indiana qualified for the playoffs, they’re still fifth with just four games left in the regular season. According to Fever’s Sophie Cunningham, there is one glaring flaw her team needs to fix if they want to win the championship.
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“Defensively, we struggle. We’re like 11th or 10th, and that’s not good whatsoever. Yes, we’re able to outscore opponents, but playoffs are a different ballgame.” Cunningham told Colin Cowherd on his podcast.
“It’s a different type of beast, and you’ve got to show up on your defense. I know in the W… I’m pretty sure the last six teams who have won it, they’ve all been top three or four, maybe besides one, in defense… and we’re just not there.”
Per Statmuse, the Fever have an offensive rating of 116.5 and average 97.0 points per game, both league highs. Their top two stars, Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell, are among the top three scorers in the league, while Clark also leads the league in assists (8.4 apg). Indiana’s offensive threat is unmatched. However, their dominance on the offense has been neutralized by their subpar defense.
Clark-Mitchell duo is the best in the league. While the 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year has the ability to pull up from anywhere beyond the 3-point line, Mitchell can score from anywhere on the floor. Yes, Clark has turnover issues, but that does not take away her elite playmaking ability. Indiana has everything on offense and more. According to Cunningham, fixing their defense could make them title favorites.
“I think if we can just get a little bit better defensively, then I wouldn’t want to play us in the playoffs, and we have the experience. We definitely have all the offensive threats you could ask for. We’re a dangerous team, but again, there’s a lot of dangerous teams. So, it’s the little details.”
Indiana possesses a dangerous mixture of elite offense and poor defense. They are not just the worst defensive team among playoff contenders; there are three non-playoff teams that have posted a better defensive rating than them. However, on offense, while the Fever dominate, other teams have maintained a healthy offense, resulting in a better balance. Indiana’s lack of defensive energy has led to inconsistent results.
“I think consistency. I think us as a team, we know that when we are clicking, I don’t think anyone can beat us,” Cunningham said.
The Fever need to fix their defense quickly, at least as much as they can. Cunningham said that her team would use a few days of break after the FIBA World Cup to get better defensively. However, it is not an easy fix.
Indiana is one of the last two teams in the league when it comes to forcing turnovers, which directly reflects their defensive lacuna. As great as Clark and Mitchell have been on offense, they are of little help in holding the defensive fort, even against bad teams.
The Fever can’t hold their own on perimeter defense. However, they have been able to show some strengths in defensive rebounding, thanks to their frontcourt stars like Aliyah Boston and Makayla Timpson.
That would still not shield them against a team like the Atlanta Dream. If the playoffs started today, the Dream and the Fever would face each other in the first round. They need a defensive-minded player at the power forward position, and it can’t be said that they have one. So far, it looks like they will have to outscore their opponent in the playoffs. Can they do it? Absolutely. But it would be barely sustainable to win a title or win a series against a team like the Minnesota Lynx.