When the refs blew the final whistle on September 7 in the Indiana-Washington clash, Caitlin Clark must have taken a sigh of relief. Just three days prior, she had called it quits on her sophomore season while her team’s playoff hopes dangled in front of them, sitting at the 8th seed. Against all odds, and despite losing their marquee guard along with four other key players, the Fever managed to clinch a postseason berth with a 24-20 record. That moment brought joy to Indiana fans, but it also opened the door to an even bigger test.

The odds are not stacked in the Fever’s favor. Their first-round opponent is the No. 3 seed Atlanta Dream, a team that split the season series with Indiana at two wins apiece. ESPN analytics paint a grim picture for the Fever, handing Atlanta a 66 percent chance of winning Game 1. Most of the crowd is backing the Dream, yet one WNBA reporter has broken from the consensus, boldly claiming Indiana as her pick. And with that, the stage is set for a playoff matchup that promises drama, grit, and unpredictability.

During the latest episode of the No Offseason podcast, Sabreena Merchant stated that Indiana is her favorite. She was calling them a strategic winner over the injury woes. “Honestly, I’m kind of impressed at how the Fever grayed out numbers-wise. Because this was kind of the team that I think a lot of the upper seeds were sort of looking to face in the postseason, just because of all the injuries that they faced,” she said. It is true that the injury bug bit Indiana the hardest.

First, it was Caitlin Clark, who suffered a groin injury. Then, Fever lost both McDonald and Colson in a single night. Starter Cunningham soon followed, leaving the Fever front office to quickly patch together replacements. To give them credit, the patched-together team worked wonders. Even without Clark, the team once maintained a five-game win streak in late July and then ended the season with a three-game win streak when they needed it the most. Head coach Stephanie White constantly kept improving on this new roster. And by the end of the season, they were cohesive enough to defeat the league-leading Minnesota.

The Indiana Fever finished the season with a +3.3 differential, ranking them fourth in the team differential stats of 2025. As Merchant puts it, “To finish the season with a number four net rating like a top four team in the WNBA, I think, is exactly where Indiana wanted to start the regular season.” These stats pitch Fever ahead of Dream, who have been chosen as clear favorites by ESPN.

“Under first-year coach Karl Smesko, the Dream embraced a different identity this season, averaging 84.4 PPG with a 110.5 offensive rating. Meanwhile, Atlanta continued the defensive prowess it was already known for, finishing with a 100.5 defensive rating, best in the league,” claims ESPN. But Fever is not that far behind, despite losing Caitlin Clark. They are the third-best offense in the league. This is thanks to the standout efforts from Mitchell (20.2 PPG) playing 40 games and Boston (15.0 PPG).

Giving them their flowers, Merchant said, “So that’s honestly credit to Kelsey Mitchell, credit to Aliyah Boston, and whoever has been healthy remaining for the Indiana Favor that they’ve gotten to this point.” And she believes these players will be the key to defeating Atlanta, especially Boston.

Is Aliyah Boston Fever’s last hope against Dream with no Caitlin Clark for rescue?

The regular-season series between the Fever and the Dream ended in a 2–2 tie. However, the landscape looks very different heading into the playoffs. Since July 12, after their last matchup, Indiana has faced a wave of injuries that have hit them hard. However, the WNBA reporter’s statement was loud and clear: “For me, this is an Aliyah Boston series.”

“I think about last year when they played Connecticut. Aliyah Boston basically played Brionna Jones off the court in that series. And now Brionna Jones is in Atlanta, and I just don’t think she can guard Boston. I don’t think Stephanie White thinks that Jones can guard Boston now that she’s on the other side of that matchup, having been Jones’s coach last season,” said Merchant. The numbers back it up, which is why there’s too much faith on Boston’s shoulders.

Against Atlanta this season, Boston averaged 13.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 5.0 assists across their four clashes. She also recorded 17 double-doubles overall this year. She recently set the new Fever record for most rebounds in a single season with 356 rebounds. For a second-year center, that isn’t just about growth; it’s proof she already belongs in the WNBA’s upper tier, and even legends agree.

Sue Bird has called Boston the X-factor, emphasizing her ability to dictate the game beyond scoring. “It might come down to, can Aliyah Boston kind of have an impact, not just in the paint, but the way she playmakes against Atlanta’s bigs,” Bird noted. With her dominance in the paint and her growing playmaking skills, Boston is the Fever’s ultimate weapon in Caitlin Clark’s absence. And if she rises to the occasion, Indiana’s playoff run could be far from over.