Some replacements, like Aari McDonald, ease into new roles; Odyssey Sims took the hard route. Her Indiana debut was absolutely forgettable and unforgettable at the same time. She had 0 points on 0-for-4 shooting in 13 minutes, capped by a one-point loss to Dallas. Nothing about that night hinted at what was coming. Next game, she made it clear she wasn’t just passing through. Off the bench against Washington, she played 26 minutes, dropped 11 points, and dished out three assists. But that was just the start.

A few more solid outings later, Indiana handed her a freshly renewed seven-day contract. Then came Sunday in Connecticut, where Sims got the start. It is safe to say, she delivered her best work in a Fever uniform. She had 19 points on 6-of-13 shooting, 7-of-9 from the line, seven assists, four rebounds, and a game-high 42:01. A plus-11 rating only sweetened the box score. But starting for the Fever this season is practically a dare.

Aari McDonald, Sophie Cunningham, Sydney Colson, Caitlin Clark: every one of them sidelined. Now, Odyssey Sims, as it turns out, wasn’t immune either. Indiana had also signed Chloe Bibby to help fill the gaps, but even she sat out against Minnesota with left knee soreness. As head coach Stephanie White admitted, “We don’t know anything, so hopefully we’ll get more information tomorrow when she can be seen.” So, on a night when the Fever needed Sims the most (especially after a disastrous third quarter (17–32)), another blow hit.

In the fourth, Odyssey Sims went down and insider Chloe Peterson tracked it in real time on X: “Odyssey Sims went back to the locker room briefly. She looked to tweak something while going up for a shot. Then limped off the floor and straight back to the locker room after the next possession. Back on the bench now, unsure if she will be returning to the game.” She didn’t return.

Postgame, Peterson followed with White’s update, or lack thereof: “She doesn’t have an update on Odyssey Sims… She’ll get evaluated and they’ll know more tomorrow.”

And while the final word isn’t in yet, one thing is absolutely clear: Indiana’s injury crisis is the theme for this season. With Cunningham and Bibby both unavailable, Fever GM Amber Cox had already told Peterson the team was planning to “sign a wing after tonight’s game.” Now Odyssey Sims’ injury might have just turned that plan from precaution to priority, because they cannot afford to repeat what went down tonight…

What Went Down for the Fever, Apart From Odyssey Sims…

Indiana, now 19-17, is suddenly facing the possibility of dropping to seventh in the standings if Golden State beats Phoenix tonight after they fell 95–90 to the Minnesota Lynx at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

The start of the game was everything the Fever needed, featuring pace, confidence, and a hot hand from deep. They led by as many as 12 in the first half and shot an amazing 10-for-14 from 3-point range. But the Lynx, as they have all season, refused to blink, and by halftime the lead was down to 52-50 before the roof caved in during a third quarter where Minnesota went on a 32-17 run that flipped the game, and pushed their lead to 14 at one point.

Indiana did manage one last push. They tried slicing the deficit to five points late in the game. But the damage from that disastrous third quarter proved to be too much to overcome. Kelsey Mitchell carried the scoring load again. She put up 27 points on 9-of-20 shooting, including a sharp 5-of-7 from beyond the arc. Then there was Lexie Hull who, on a career night, added 23 points on 9-of-16 shooting and 4-of-7 from deep.

Aliyah Boston also contributed 15 points and six rebounds. While newly signed Shey Peddy made her presence felt off the bench with 10 points, four assists, and a perfect 3-of-4 from long range in her Fever debut.

Minnesota had answers everywhere though, with Kayla McBride dropping a game-high 29 points. But the true backbreaker for Indy was Jessica Shepard. She turned in the first triple-double of her career: 22 points on an absurd 10-of-11 shooting, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists.

These two teams will now meet again on Sunday night in Minnesota at 7:00 PM ET, stay tuned!