In the Indiana Fever’s first stride towards WNBA glory against Dallas, all they got was a wake-up call. The team didn’t just lose the game, even after scoring 100+ points on the night. But they also showcased a concerning element of the game that can leave them dry in the season. Now, just a couple of days later, head coach Stephanie White has shared her two cents as the team looks to navigate its way through after the latest developmental signing in Bree Hall.

Speaking at the pre-game press conference, White pinpointed the major areas of improvement for the Indiana Fever. She further emphasized that the team will have to gel up pretty quickly before their next assignment against the LA Sparks.

“Transition defense,” White said. “We’ve got to be better at getting matched up in transition, getting back in transition, not giving up so many easy looks, and ball-screen defense. Those are two areas that were glaring weaknesses in game one. So, we’re going to continue to work on that.”

“Just continue to get better, get 1% every day. We want to clean up some of the things that we had breakdown on the defensive end against Dallas, and we’ll look to clean it up against LA.”

White’s assessment is backed to the hilt. We saw every bit of what the Fever coach is complaining of in the conversation. After all, allowing more than 50% in three-point shooting is never a healthy figure, especially in a tightrope game. And mind you, it’s just the tip of the iceberg.

The team stats from the game perfectly reinforce Fever’s defensive inaccuracy in the regular-season opener. For context, White’s team gave away 25 fast-break points in the game. It immediately sums up the Fever’s inability to stop the Wings on transitions, which was even more facilitated with the high number of turnovers (14) that the Fever conceded in the game.

Now, halting the Wings’ offensive transition was, of course, going to be difficult. With quality perimeter players like Paige Bueckers and Arike Ogunbowale, the Fever would have to be locked in to stop the Wings’ flow. But Indiana was far from that prowess.

Bueckers and co. took full advantage of Clark’s defensive shortcomings. The Wings made 6 successful shots in the game when CC was guarding them. And to a certain extent, Sophie Cunningham, too, who is a solid perimeter defender, was scored on by Bueckers in certain sequences of the game.

Speaking in her pre-game press conference, White specifically highlighted the aspects that led to the Fever’s cold defensive night.

“I think it’s awareness,” White said. “If you get an offensive rebound, you’ve got to get back matched up. I think two, it’s looking for your main man in transition, and it’s always near man transition. Then I think it’s just a sense of urgency to transition from offense to defense. Sometimes, it was too busy looking at the refs.”

On the offensive end, Stephanie White’s team has been pretty solid. Even in terms of offensive transition, the team thrived, adding 12 fast-break points and 19 points off the Wings’ turnovers. But the caveat is that the Fever were equally bad on defense.

The Indiana Fever will face a similar challenge against the LA Sparks as well. The Sparks are lashed with veteran players like Nneka Ogwumike and Kelsey Plum. But the Fever are quietly making adjustments to further strengthen their defense.

Bree Hall’s recent developmental contract signing can be a nod for the team in that regard. Although she will be a part of the Fever’s developmental roster, Hall can be activated for 12 games in case of an injury. On paper, it might not sound like a gigantic signing, but a deep dive into it can change the entire assessment.

Is Bree Hall a Good Addition for the Indiana Fever Amid This Defensive Fiasco?

For many, the signing of Bree Hall is just another perimeter player addition for the Indiana Fever. It might be a questionable move, especially considering the Fever already have players like Caitlin Clark, Kelsey Mitchell, Lexie Hull, and Raven Johnson. As a result, the Fever roster might seem a bit guard-heavy on occasions.

But this isn’t the whole story. Hall is actually the type of player that the Fever would want in their reserves. The second-year pro is a South Carolina alum who is immensely skilled at defending the perimeters. She might not be as fruitful on the offense, with less than 40% from beyond the arc. But she is one of the best at locking down defenders.

In fact, when the Indiana Fever drafted Bree Hall last season as the 20th pick, GM Amber Cox pinpointed these exact skill sets when discussing the team’s decision to sign her.

“Bree Hall [is] an elite defender on the perimeter, does a lot of things, really, really well,” she said. “She guarded the best player on the other team [in college]. But you know, when she had the opportunity to take three pointers, she was very efficient in that role as well.”

Going deep into the season, Bree Hall won’t need to lead the Fever’s defense. Stephanie White’s team already has plenty of players in Lexie Hull and Aliyah Boston to take care of it. But Hall will have to be ready when the opportunity arises amid unforeseen circumstances in the team and deliver for the Indiana Fever.