Losing a game in a high-stakes playoff series is not out of the ordinary. But the 102-85 blowout that the Indiana Fever faced from the Las Vegas Aces on Sunday has WNBA analyst Rachel DeMita worried that the Fever could be heading towards an early exit. DeMita has also called out head coach Stephanie White’s tactical decisions during the game, insisting that they have played a part in Indiana’s “humbling” loss.

“I was seeing in the postgame press conference and the pregame press conference from yesterday’s Indiana Fever versus Las Vegas Aces game that were truly, truly alarming. And it’s one of the biggest reasons that I just don’t think the Indiana Fever have what it takes this year in these playoffs to win anything,” DeMita said on her podcast Courtside Club.

“I don’t see them making it out of the first round, and it starts with the mentality, and it starts with the mentality of coach Stephanie White… It’s disappointing to see because I’ve definitely held my tongue, bit my tongue, you know, coming down really hard on the coaching staff because, firstly, I don’t really like trashing anyone.”

It’s not just DeMita who showed frustration with Stephanie White’s decisions during the game. In the third quarter of the game, cameras caught Caitlin Clark raising her hands in frustration as Coach White subbed her out, even with 6:49 left on the clock and the Fever trailing in the game. Quickly after Clark was subbed out, Indiana missed a three-pointer, and the Aces quickly grabbed the rebound, got the ball forward, and scored a three themselves. This whole possession summed up Indiana’s frustrating night.

However, it’s also not hard to empathize with Stephanie White’s decision. Both Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell, the Fever’s primary offensive weapons, struggled in the game. Clark scored 15 points, registering an FG% of just 35.3%, while Mitchell could only add 12 points, shooting an even worse 25% from the field and just 16.7% from beyond the arc.

Even in the run-up to the playoffs, the struggles were quite evident: In the last regular-season game against the Minnesota Lynx, Clark managed just two points while Mitchell added 10, leagues below their season averages of 22.3 PPG (Clark) and 24.7 PPG (Mitchell).

In Game 1 of the playoffs, the Fever struggled on both ends of the floor, as the Aces ran riot. Despite Caitlin Clark’s double-double, the Fever struggled to contain A’ja Wilson, who dropped a staggering 38 points on the afternoon.

And Wilson did not just dominate offensively. She was instrumental in suffocating Indiana’s offense, which was the league’s best in the regular season, averaging 96 points per game, as she added 12 defensive rebounds, two steals, and a game-high four blocks.

Stephanie White’s admission about this loss being a”humbling experience” also did not sit well with DeMita.

“I think the first time I heard this, my jaw dropped to the ground, and there are multiple layers. First of all, she’s blaming experience for the fact that they played so poorly and got completely embarrassed by the Aces who have been dealing with injuries this season. The excuse was experience,” DeMita said.

Apart from Raven Johnson, who was drafted this year, the only player on the Fever lineup who doesn’t have playoff experience is Caitlin Clark. While Clark is the face of the franchise and one of the primary playmakers, the rest of the team were also unable to perform to the playoff standard.

If Indiana does end up going out in their next game, calls against Stephanie White will only grow louder, with another WNBA analyst, Natalie Esquire, echoing a similar thought on September 25, after the Fever’s loss against the Lynx.

“It’s time for Steph White to call it quits,” wrote Esquire in an X post.

To add to the Fever fans’ worry, both Aliyah Boston (lower leg) and Caitlin Clark (back) are listed as ‘probable’ by the Indiana management for tomorrow’s game.

Only time will tell if Indiana is able to level the series and maybe even advance further in the postseason.