Believe it or not, Stephanie White really does have a way of sprinkling some luck on Indiana every time she takes the reins. I mean, how else do you explain this run? A team playing without its superstar Caitlin Clark, missing key offseason additions, juggling six injuries, and still finding a way into the semis. But, you know what, it’s not just White carrying that old Fever magic. There’s another piece from those glory-days we often don’t talk about.

Natasha Howard! 

White and Howard have see this before. Back in 2015, when the Fever made a Finals run, White was just in her first year as head coach and Tash was in her second season in the league. They lost that series to the Maya Moore-led Lynx, but those memories stitched into both of them. And now, nearly a decade later, in their first year with a new-look Indy team, they’re back in the semifinals together after an 87-85 thriller in Game 3 over Atlanta.

Naturally, White couldn’t help but let the emotions spill when talking about the vet. With teary eyes during the post-game conference, White said, “Tasha’s our vet. Her leadership throughout the course of the season has been incredible.” In case you forgot,  Indiana brought in four vets to add experience and fuel postseason push. But, currently, only Howard has been the one holding it down when to comes to that battle-tested experience.

“And it’s been a season that’s had some peaks and valleys, and she’s led us through it,” White continued. “She’s [Tash] experienced everything in this league. She’s been defensive player of the year. You know, she’s played with superstars. You know, she understands it. And no matter what, her leadership has been so steady, and it has been so important.” 

Adding how the team has been a reflection of that, she expressed, “I’m so proud of her.” Even in the miracle win, Howard dropped 12 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists, including a crucial six-point burst in the third that cut Atlanta’s lead. And not just this time. The two-time All-Star was brought in to plug the gaps that last year’s Fever struggled with and she’s done exactly that and then some.

Howard has played all 44 games this season, starting every single one, while averaging 11.4 points and 6.6 rebounds a night. Time and again, she’s stepped up as the leading scorer when her teammates couldn’t, including an MVP-worthy 16-point, 12-rebound, four-assist, two-steal performance in the Commissioner’s Cup championship win over the Minnesota Lynx. She’s earned her stripes by building trust in the locker room and setting the tone on the floor.

“When my teammates see me hustling on the defensive end, that gets them going, as well,” Howard smiled. “When they see me going, they follow my lead and that’s one thing I like about the way I play.” And getting to that point hasn’t just been about stats, it’s been about communication. “We talk to each other a lot,” Howard explained.

And that exact mix of following each other’s lead and team work was on full display in the final minutes of their nail-biting win.

Lexie Hull saves Fever’s season 

Basketball is a 40-minute grind, and it’s always about all five players on the court. You could lead the whole game and still lose it in the blink of an eye to someone who hadn’t even heated up all night. That’s exactly how this one played out.

Because, it’s wild how the Fever led for just seven seconds in the entire second half. Seven! But those were the only seconds that mattered. Indiana trailed most of the way but leaned on Atlanta’s foul trouble to keep hanging around. Then came the final stretch. With seven seconds left, Aliyah Boston muscled her way through the paint and dropped in the go-ahead layup, giving the Fever an 86-85 edge. Now they just had to defend for seven more seconds. 

And it wasn’t Boston or Mitchell who iced it, it was Lexie Hull. She stole an inbound pass , forcing Atlanta into desperation mode. On the final possession, Dream fell short. Just like that, Indiana punched its ticket to the semis! 

Stat sheets will tell you Kelsey Mitchell led the way with 24 points, Sims added 16 and 8, and Boston notched a double-double with 14, 12, and 6. But who really saved the season? The starter with the least points. But even with the playoff curse finally broken, as Howard put it, “The job is not done yet.” Next up are the Las Vegas Aces. A tough climb, sure. But if this season has proven anything, it’s that Indiana finds magic when it matters most.