INDIANAPOLIS – Stephanie White wasn’t planning any rest days for her players in the final regular season game. The Indiana Fever clinched a playoff spot on Sunday with a win over the Washington Mystics and with no significant stakes remaining in their final game against the Minnesota Lynx on Tuesday, the focus was on preparation. Despite maintaining an 83-72 victory over the Lynx, keeping the door open for a potential No. 6 seed, the Fever’s chances were largely out of their control.
The Fever’s roster has undergone massive changes over the past month due to a string of injuries and hardship waivers. Reigning Rookie of the Year and All-WNBA honoree Caitlin Clark was limited to 13 games this season due to muscle injuries and an ankle bone bruise, last playing on July 15. Sydney Colson tore her ACL and Aari McDonald broke a bone in her right foot in August 7 game against Phoenix, both subsequently ruled out for the season. Sophie Cunningham tore her MCL against Connecticut on August 17, and Chloe Bibby suffered a left knee injury on August 22, putting both out for the season.
Since then, the Fever have added four players via hardship waivers: Odyssey Sims, now the team’s starting point guard, joined in August 10; Shey Peddy and Aerial Powers were added in the two weeks following Sims’ arrival, with Bree Hall joining on September 4. These additions were necessary to account for the injuries sustained by the original roster.
This influx of new players and injuries forced the Fever to continually shift their strategies. Despite all of this, they managed to secure at least the No. 7 seed in the playoffs. However, they needed every minute of live action to prepare for the postseason. “The challenge is figuring out the best combinations of players, given our current roster,” White stated. “We’ve had to do that five or six times. It’s about seeing what the best lineup looks like, especially with new players joining.”
The game against the Lynx felt like a step in the right direction. The Fever began strongly, starting with a 10-0 run and doubling the Lynx’s score 28-14 by the end of the first quarter. They maintained a lead for most of the game, but the Lynx responded with a 9-0 run in the third quarter, reducing the Fever’s lead to four. The Fever then rebuilt their lead to 15 by the end of the third. This recovery demonstrated growth, as the Fever didn’t crumble when faced with the Lynx’s run. “It was more about discipline,” veteran Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell said. “…in order for us to be who we need to be for a playoff run, rebounding, knowing who we’re guarding, and not having live-ball turnovers, were critical in the third quarter. We were tested, and it could have easily gone against us. But we saw our growth.”
However, White was frustrated by the Fever’s lapse in the game’s final moments. The Fever had a 20-point lead, but the Lynx’s late run narrowed the gap to just 10 points. Although neither team had much at stake in the game, this late collapse highlighted the importance of maintaining focus in the playoffs. “We can improve by not giving up a 15-4 run to end the game,” White said. “It’s important to feel good about a win like this, but it leaves a bad taste in your mouth. We need everyone to do what they do best, and nobody needs to play outside of themselves. We were pleased with our balance, not just in our scoring, but also in our field goal attempts.”
The Fever will have a few days of preparation before heading on the road for their playoff opener on Sunday. Neither their seeding position nor their opponent are yet finalized – the opponent will likely be announced late on Thursday night.