Following the Indiana Fever’s 102-85 blowout loss in Game 1 against the Las Vegas Aces in the first round of the playoffs, Caitlin Clark was asked how she would grade her team’s defensive effort. “An F,” the 24-year-old replied. And if it was not obvious before, the WNBA’s All-Defensive Teams have made it all too clear what the Indiana Fever need to focus on this offseason.

On Thursday, the league announced the All-Defensive Teams, and one glance was enough to denote the common theme. The Golden State Valkyries and the Atlanta Dream constitute six of the 10 players in the lineups. Both teams are now competing for the championship in the WNBA Finals. And for WNBA broadcaster Robin Lundberg, this is also the key area of focus for the Fever.

“Look, it’s not a stunning observation to say the Fever were not good enough defensively this year. That was a constant theme, but it is something that needs to be addressed… look at the results over the course of the season. Defensive rating: the Golden State Valkyrie is number one, the Atlanta Dream number three, the Indiana Fever at number eight. They were the worst team in the playoffs defensive wise,” Lundberg said on his YouTube channel.

“So that is something that has to be taken into consideration when you are looking at team building for the Fever roster going forward,” Lundberg added.

Initially, the Fever’s defensive woes were hidden thanks to their overwhelming offensive prowess, headlined by Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell. The guards formed one of the most potent backcourt duos and made league history by becoming the first in WNBA history to have multiple 30-point games together.

However, as the competition went on, it was evident that relying on just one positive area would not cut it, especially in the playoffs. The Fever’s defensive issues were for all to see throughout the regular season. They allowed 90.5 points per game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse Arena and 90.3 on the road. As Lundberg stated, head coach Stephanie White’s side was last among playoff teams in defensive rating (109.0) and ninth overall in the WNBA.

Coming to player profiles, there is not exactly anyone on the Fever who reminds you of “defense.” Lexie Hull was not her usual self this season, with her steals, blocks, and defensive rebounds all taking a hit compared to last season. Meanwhile, Sophie Cunningham is not exactly the most proficient in defense either.

That leaves Fever star Aliyah Boston all alone. The 2023 No. 1 overall pick is obviously one of the best in her position, but even she was limited this season after suffering from a lateral meniscus tear during Unrivaled last offseason. Despite averaging 16.1 points and 8.0 rebounds per game, it was clear that Boston played through the pain this season.

We will probably see some moves around the Fever in the offseason, especially related to Kelsey Mitchell, who is facing unrestricted free agency. If the elite scoring guard ends up signing elsewhere, her $1.4 million supermax contract will be off the salary books. With that space, the front office can definitely look to add some fine additions to aid Boston and Co. defensively, while Clark will anchor the offensive end.

Internally, Makayla Timpson’s wingspan should be leveraged in the frontcourt as she continues to develop, while developmental player Bree Hall can also be considered for the future.

But the All-Defensive Teams dominated by the WNBA Finalists put things into perspective for the Fever even more, and it will be interesting to see who they target in the upcoming offseason to finally build a balanced roster and try to win their first WNBA championship since 2012.