When asked about the biggest challenge versus the Atlanta Dream in the playoff series, Stephanie White shared, “Their size, at most all positions, has been a challenge for us,” on September 12. And it was not so hard to understand why she said that. With post players like Brittney Griner and Brionna Jones anchoring Atlanta, Indiana had to lean heavily on its own frontcourt to keep up.

But challenges aren’t getting easier for Indy, as the team’s forced to operate without one of their staples. Damiris Dantas, the 6’4 backup center, was ruled out, and her absence immediately began to show. Against the Dream’s big size, Indy struggled to find its footing and eventually lost 68–80 in Game 1. But Game 2 offered no respite either, as Dantas was still ruled out.

What happened to Damiris Dantas?

With five players already out for the season, Indy knew they had to play harder to stay in a run for the championship. However, the injury bug just doesn’t want to leave the team alone. During the Fever’s practice session last Thursday, Damiris Dantas suffered a concussion and has been in the protocol ever since.

“There’s hope (she can play Tuesday), depending on how quickly she can get through the stages,” White told IndyStar on September 14. “I don’t know what the time frame for the stages are, but as we move forward, she’s a big, important part of what we want to do in the series, so hopefully she’ll be able to progress.” And yes, she really is important at the moment.

Not just that she’s got size, but she’s also an effective three-point shooter. She spreads out the offense when she’s on the court, and that forces opponent teams to guard her at the three-point line. This helps open up opportunities for her teammates, Aliyah Boston and Natasha Howard. She’s even known for taking physicality well, especially when going up against the Dream’s post duo of Griner and Jones.

Despite Indiana fans’ frustration over her 34.8% shooting, well below her career average of 41.8%, Dantas had started to regain her offensive rhythm recently. Just rewind to September 7, when she made three triples against the Mystics, and just two nights later, she followed it up with another pair of threes against the Minnesota Lynx. After a stretch of single digits, she finally had a 10-point showing against the league’s leaders during Indy’s season finale.

Who will carry the load?

Sailing through injuries is nothing new for Dantas, as she’s been injured before. After her three-year stint with her former team, the Atlanta Dream, Dantas suffered an MCL tear. While she inked a contract with the Fever, her injury kept her out for four months before she could actually make her return last year. But of course, she had plenty of time last season; this isn’t the case now.

Indy already has five players out due to season-ending injuries, and Dantas was needed to take the pressure off the bigs. “It certainly impacts us having her ability and physicality defensively, and it also affects us offensively because of her ability to space the floor,” White had said on September 14. “She’s really started to find it again from the 3-point line … it’s going to be a challenge without her.”

With Dantas out, White might be left with no choice but to ride Aliyah Boston for nearly the full 40 minutes. As Indy leans on its star at both ends, Boston logged 34 minutes in Game 1.