Milwaukee won this game thanks to a dominant performance from its front court as center Kel’el Ware scored 16 points and grabbed 14 rebounds in just 19 minutes off the bench. Meanwhile, former Pacer Myles Turner added six points, nine rebounds, four assists, and four blocks as he dominated the defensive end in the second half to help win the game for Milwaukee.

Indiana’s frontcourt depth, or lack thereof, was exposed as a major flaw for this roster, as Zubac’s absence forced Indiana to give big minutes to Jay Huff and Larry Nance Jr. That duo combined to score just eight points on 4-14 shooting, including an abysmal 0-8 from three, in 40 minutes of action on Monday. Indiana will not be able to find sustained success this season if they are getting that level of production from the center position.

Zubac will likely miss a few more games due to his ankle injury, but even when he returns, Indiana will still need reinforcements in the frontcourt. While it may be too early in the season for any major roster changes, I would expect Indiana to be active in looking for potential additions that could improve the center position.

Another major flaw on display for Indiana in the loss was the team’s poor offensive efficiency, especially on free throws and three pointers. The Pacers went 11-18 from the free throw line, and are shooting 70.1% on free throws this season which is the second-worst rate in the NBA. Indiana shot 13-48 (27%) from three in the loss, marking the third time in four games that the Pacers have made 30% or less of their 3-pointers.

Indiana has been dealing with injuries to several different players in the rotation early on, so this lack of consistency might have an easy explanation, but if it continues much longer, the Pacers might end up digging themselves an early hole to start the year. Indiana must become more efficient on the offensive end in order to reach their potential this season. As point guard Tyrese Haliburton gets more comfortable and returns to form after missing all of last season with an Achilles injury, Indiana will hope that its once explosive offense returns to form as well.

The Eastern Conference is stacked with talented teams hoping to win a title this season and the Pacers are hoping to be a part of that crowd. However, in order to do so they will need to get stronger in the frontcourt and more efficient on offense. As some familiar faces work back from injury and new players start to gel, there is optimism for improvement in Indiana but the Pacers need to make sure that it doesn’t come too late.

This is nothing new around here, and has been a growing issue since the boom of attention that the WNBA and the Fever franchise has received in recent years as the media circus surrounding Caitlin Clark set its sights on the league. Clark’s time with the Fever has brought about as much on-court success to the franchise as it has off-the-court insanity as the Fever have become embroiled in one controversy after another.

Just this season alone, the Fever had multiple opposing players have negative interactions with fans that disrupted games. There was constant drama surrounding how Clark, and those that dare to foul her, were officiated. And then there was a season-long drag of the Sophie Cunningham show as the volatile guard made it clear that her number one priority was growing her brand and public image, while her team, her teammates, and their shared goal of winning fell somewhere after that.

All things considered, it’s safe to say it’s become a bit more complicated to support the Indiana Fever. We have seen countless bad actors take up the mantle of “Fever fandom” only to use the title as an excuse to spew hateful, divisive rhetoric that has damaged the league-wide perception of the franchise and its fans.

Fever GM Amber Cox tried to defend Fever fans when she spoke to media during exit interviews this week, saying that critiques of “our fanbase have no basis in reality and need to stop” while chalking up the hate and negativity that opposing players have reported experiencing as “home-court advantage” and dismissed those concerns by asserting that there were no violations of the WNBA fan code of conduct at Fever games this season.

In the wake of Cox’s comments, both former and current Fever players alike have disagreed with her to varying degrees. Brianna Turner, who played for the Fever in 2025, called Cox’s comments “disingenuous”, stating that “players inside and outside of the organization have repeatedly issued complaints” to the league and media regarding the Fever fanbase. Turner raised similar issues during her time with the Fever last season.

However, the most damning statements in the wake of Cox’s comments came from the Fever’s own Kelsey Mitchell. Mitchell is a free agent once again after finishing her ninth season with the franchise and spoke candidly with reporters about her experience as a Fever player over the past few years.

“Showing up every day for fans that may or may not like you is hard,” Mitchell said. “I think this organization is unbelievable, man, but I think that when it comes to, like, being yourself, it hasn’t always been easy.”

Mitchell also spoke to the difficulties of playing under the spotlight that currently comes with playing for the Fever

“I don’t think that people really understand how much we endure,” she said. “Like, if I showed y’all my DMs about the hate and all of the stuff that comes with being a professional athlete, but specifically being an Indiana Fever basketball player, it’s a lot that goes into that. And those days are hard as hell man.”

She continued, saying that Fever players “get a lot of flak” just by playing one the same team as Caitlin Clark.

I was devastated when I first read Mitchell’s comments. It should hurt any true Fever fan to know that a player who has dedicated herself and her career to our franchise, throughout the down years and into this current era of success, has found it so difficult to find herself at home here in recent years. Mitchell should be treated like the Fever icon that she is and our franchise has fallen short of giving her the treatment and the respect which she deserves.

Now, the Indiana Fever, and WNBA leadership at large, find themselves at a crossroads as an identity crisis emerges. As more and more of the league’s focus shifts towards capitalizing on the new wave of attention and turning it into profitability, the heart and soul of the WNBA is being cast aside.

This identity crisis is amplified in Indiana as our basketball courts have turned into battlegrounds for everything BUT basketball. Hoosiers love to claim that “We grow basketball here.” We love to brag that “In 49 states it’s just basketball, but THIS is Indiana.” But what do those slogans mean if we don’t stand by them in this moment? Is basketball actually any different here if we let selfish outsiders co-opt and mangle our identity to further their own selfish agendas?

The Indiana Fever franchise has a decision to make this offseason. Will they decide to protect their players, their fans, and their identity by standing up and denouncing those that spread hate and division under the guise of Fever “fandom”? Or will the franchise continue to prioritize profits and the comfort of outsiders ahead of the experiences of its own players and the enjoyment of its own fans?

Before any promises of fame and riches, the WNBA was sustained by a love of the game from both its players and its fans. The WNBA was founded on Black Queer women’s labor, love, and passion for the game of basketball. Those are the facts, plain and simple, and anyone who takes issue with that had better find another league to watch because those of us that truly love the WNBA aren’t going anywhere.

Indiana won Game 2 on Tuesday night thanks to an amazing performance from the All-Star trio of Caitlin Clark, Kelsey Mitchell, and Aliyah Boston as the Fever’s Big 3 combined for 75 points, 20 assists, and 12 rebounds in the win. The Fever started slow in Tuesday’s win after falling behind 26-18 after one quarter of play, but they dominated the second quarter and led 48-43 at halftime. The Fever maintained control of the game until late in the fourth quarter and fended off a late push from the Aces to seal the win and extend the series.

The Fever will need a similarly strong performance from their stars as they go back on the road for Game 3 tonight. I took a look back at how Indiana won Game 2 and what they can do tonight to repeat that result and advance to the next round.

Dominate the Paint

Indiana outscored Las Vegas 58-26 in points in the paint on Tuesday as Boston played great offense and made things difficult for the Aces A’ja Wilson on the other end. Mitchell was relentless attacking the rim and going at the heart of the Las Vegas defense while Clark consistently pushed the ball and found easy opportunities for her teammates as well. Indiana did allow Las Vegas to shoot 34 free throws in Game 2 which slightly skews the numbers here but it also shows that the Fever weren’t letting anything come easy to the Aces.

The Fever also won the rebounding battle 34-30 and grabbed 11 offensive rebounds on the night. While Indiana only scored six points off of those extra chances, it still speaks to the hustle and effort the Fever put in on the glass in their win on Tuesday. Indiana will need to take that hustle and effort on the road with them in order to defeat the defending champs in their own gym tonight.

Contain A’ja Wilson

Wilson was limited to 22 points while shooting 5-11 from the field in Game 2 as Indiana was much more effective at defending her than it was in Game 1. The Fever made it far more difficult for Wilson to get involved offensively and never let her get comfortable enough to take over the game on that end of the floor.

Wilson dominated Game 1 as her influence was obvious on almost every possession on offense and defense. Indiana cannot allow her to do that again as the series swings back to Las Vegas tonight. Wilson is one of the best players in the league and stopping her is easier said than done, but if the Fever can manage to keep her from taking control of Game 3 it will significantly boost their chances of winning.

Take Advantage of Transition Opportunities

Indiana and Las Vegas have finished each of the first two games of this series with an equal amount of turnovers. In Game 1, Las Vegas outscored Indiana 28-18 in points off turnovers and won the game. In Game 2, Indiana outscored Las Vegas 16-11 in points off turnovers and won the game. I wouldn’t be surprised to see that trend continue in Game 3 tonight.

At this level of competition in the WNBA postseason, every possession is crucial and it becomes even more important to capitalize on your opponents mistakes and turn them into easier scoring opportunities in transition. We know the Fever like to push the pace, but an experienced team like Las Vegas will know how to take advantage of that Indiana loses control of the game. The Fever need to choose their opportunities to speed up the game carefully and then go all out when they find an advantage against the Aces.

Tonight’s game is winner-take-all as these Fever face the Aces with their season on the line for the second year in a row. Las Vegas’ talent and experience won out last year but Indiana has an opportunity to get revenge tonight as some of the leagues top talents go head-to-head with their seasons on the line.

The Aces were led by MVP-frontrunner A’ja Wilson as she dominated the Fever in Game 1 with 38 points, 16 rebounds, and four blocks. Wilson was nearly unstoppable on offense as she shot 15-19 from the floor, 6-7 from the free throw line, and 2-2 from three-point range. Wilson’s 38 points tied her playoff career-high total and was just short of the WNBA record of 42 points held by Napheesa Collier.

One of the lone bright spots for Indiana was center Aliyah Boston, who tallied 18 points, eight rebounds, and four assists while shooting 7-12 from the floor in the losing effort. Boston was the only Indiana starter that shot better 40% from the floor as the Fever struggled to keep up with an Aces offense that was firing on all cylinders.

Indiana’s All-Star backcourt struggled mightily in the loss as Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell combined to score just 27 points while shooting an abysmal 10-33 (30%) from the floor. That duo averaged 47.0 points per game with a field-goal percentage of about 48% in the regular season so last night’s struggles were extremely disappointing.

Clark did secure a double-double with 15 points and 10 assists in the loss, but she was just 3-10 from 3-point range while racking up six turnovers and five fouls. Meanwhile, Mitchell has averaged just 11 points in Indiana’s two recent losses after scoring 20 or more points in a WNBA-record 27 consecutive games before that. The Fever will not stand a chance this postseason if Clark and Mitchell can’t get back to their usual standard of offensive excellence.

Rookie guard Raven Johnson did provide an early spark off the bench for Indiana as she scored 14 points on 6-7 shooting in her playoff debut. Johnson will be an important player in the Indiana rotation this postseason after guard Ty Harris was ruled out for the remainder of the season after sustaining an injury in the Fever’s regular season finale. Sophie Cunningham added 13 points off the bench as well.

Guard Jackie Young joined her teammate Wilson in the double-double club 21 points and 10 assists for the Aces as she helped facilitate an Aces offense that shot 38-64 (59%) from the floor in the blowout win. Chelsea Gray added 14 points and eight assists while Jewell Loyd contributed 10 points off the bench.

The simple truth in this game was the Fever got dominated on both ends of the floor and their stars in the backcourt went dormant while Wilson went supernova on the other end. This was just one game, but the gap between the Aces and the Fever looked a mile wide as Las Vegas looked like the perennial contender that has won 3 of the last four WNBA titles. Meanwhile, Indiana looked unexperienced and unprepared for the spotlight that comes with the WNBA postseason.

The best-of-three series returns to Indianapolis on Tuesday night as Game 2 tips off at Gainbridge Fieldhouse at 6:30 pm ET and will be aired on Amazon Prime Video. Indiana will hope that their hometown fans can bring the energy tomorrow night to help reinvigorate the team as the Fever need a win to extend the series and keep their title chances alive.

The keys to the game on Tuesday will be simple: play better, more efficient offense, especially on the perimeter, and find a way to contain A’ja Wilson on defense. We saw in the regular season that Indiana can compete with and beat this Las Vegas team as the Fever went 2-1 against the Aces, and 1-1 in games where Wilson played. Indiana held Wilson to an average of 23 points in her two regular season matchups against the Fever. If Indiana can contain Wilson and limit her to that level of production, they will have a chance to advance.

The 2026 Fever season hinges on Tuesday night’s game and the focus will be on Indiana’s star players. Can they respond with a strong performance to prove they are legitimate contenders this season? Can they prove that Game 1 was an anomaly and that they belong on the floor with a team like the Aces? We will have to wait until tipoff tomorrow night to find out.

Indiana needs a strong finish to the season in order if it wants to earn the fourth seed and home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. I looked ahead at their final few opponents to see how they have matched up so far this season.

Tonight, 9/18, at Toronto Tempo

The Fever return to action against the Tempo (11-29) looking to sweep the season series after starting the year 2-0 against Toronto. Indiana got a 101-95 road win over Toronto in their last game on August 18, but the Tempo have lost several key players to injury since then. Toronto will be without Marina Mabrey, Brittany Sykes, and Aneesah Morrow tonight so it will be critical for the Fever to earn a win against the weakest opponent left on their schedule.

Kelsey Mitchell will look to extend her WNBA-record 24-game streak of scoring 20 or more points against the Tempo tonight. Caitlin Clark, Aliyah Boston, and coach Stephanie White return from the FIBA World Cup after winning gold in Berlin with Team USA.

Sunday, 9/20, vs Washington Mystics

The Fever return home for this matchup with the Mystics and this one will be crucial for the postseason standings. The season series between the two teams is tied at 1-1, as the Fever to the Mystics 104-102 at home on May 15 and then won 78-76 on the road on June 8.

The Mystics have played their last five games on the road and are 4-1 in those games so the Fever can expect a difficult test in this one. Washington is led by a dominant frontcourt featuring center Shakira Austin and power forward Kiki Iriafen. Washington is the top rebounding team in the WNBA at 37.7 per game and is second in offensive rebounding with 10.2 per game so Indiana’s frontcourt will have their hands full on Sunday.

Tuesday, 9/22, vs Minnesota Lynx, and Thursday, 9/24 at Lynx

The Fever finish the season with two games against the Lynx, who boast the league’s best record at 31-9 and have secured a top-two seed in the postseason. Indiana lost 108-100 in its only matchup of the season against Minnesota on August 2 as the Lynx put on a dominant performance that wasn’t fully reflected in the final score.

Guards Olivia Miles and Courtney Williams combined for 55 points as they torched the Fever defense all night long. Napheesa Collier also put up 18 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists as she ramped up her return to play after missing much of the season due to injury.

These two games will give Indiana an early taste of the postseason as they consecutive games against an elite opponent. The Fever will need to put together much stronger performances than they did in their last game against the Lynx if they want to have any hope of moving up the playoff ladder.

As Indiana winds down the regular season, they will be put to the test against postseason contenders. This final week will offer the Fever one more chance to see how they measure up against the best in the league with the playoffs just on the horizon.

In this preview, I wanted to focus on what Indiana has done well during this four-game winning streak. One of the biggest improvements during this stretch of success for the Fever has been in their ability to protect the ball and avoid turnovers. Indiana has averaged 14.9 turnovers per game this season, but has cut that down to 10.8 turnovers per game during the win streak.

The Fever have also limited the points opponents have scored off turnovers to just 11.3 per game during this streak, down from 15.7 per game this season. Meanwhile, Indiana has scored 17.5 points per game off of opponents turnovers during the win streak which gives them a 6.2 ppg advantage during that span.

Caitlin Clark has played well during the win streak, averaging 25.8 points and 10.0 assists while racking up three double-doubles in the last four games. She was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week for the second straight week, and the fourth time this season. Clark has looked much healthier over the past few weeks and has managed to play at least 33 minutes in each of the last eight games. However, she is listed as a game-time decisions tonight with due to her lingering back injury she has been managing this season.

Makayla Timpson and Aliyah Boston have made a great front court pairing over the last four games since Timpson was inserted into the starting lineup. Timpson is averaging 9.8 points and 5.3 rebounds since becoming a starter, but the energy and effort plays she makes won’t always show up in the box score. Meanwhile, Boston has averaged 16.5 points and 10.5 rebounds while also having three double-doubles during the win streak.

The duo has also been quite productive on defense, combining to average 2.5 blocks and 2.5 steals over the last four games. They have held their own against top frontcourt stars like Kamila Cardoso on the Sky, Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones on the Liberty, and Angel Reese on the Dream during this winning streak. Boston is listed as a game-time decision for tonight’s matchup as she manages a lower leg injury.

Kelsey Mitchell has managed to keep a streak of her own going lately as she holds the WNBA single-season record with 19 straight games scoring 20 or more points. She can tie the overall record of 20 straight games, held by the Aces’ A’ja Wilson, if she can do it again tonight. Mitchell led all scorers with 27 points in her last matchup with the Tempo, and Toronto has allowed 15 different players to score 20 or more points during their 10-game losing streak.

The Toronto Tempo scouting report definitely starts with Marina Mabrey. The All-Star guard is averaging 20.8 points per game this season, good for fourth in the WNBA, and also tied the WNBA single-game scoring record when she scored 53 points against the Los Angeles Sparks on June 25. Mabrey is a confident scorer and will certainly look to attack the Indiana defense is she sees any signs of weakness.

One major boost for the Tempo tonight will be the return of guard Brittney Sykes, as she makes a comeback from a left foot injury that she sustained in the first half of the Toronto’s last matchup with Indiana on June 16. The guard has missed the last two months due to the injury, but was averaging 20.1 points and 3.5 assists per game before missing time.

Tonight will be a tale of two streaks, as Indiana looks to keep up their winning ways while Toronto hopes to finally put an end to their long stretch of losses. We should be in for a lot of scoring as both of these squads are much more effective on offense than they are on defense.

The star of the night for Indiana was forward Makayla Timpson, who set a career-high with 20 points on 9-13 shooting and scored six crucial points in overtime that helped seal the win for the Fever. Timpson grabbed seven rebounds, including five offensive rebounds, as she helped set the tone for Indiana in the rebounding battle. Timpson’s effort, tenacity, and efficiency were huge for a Fever team that wasn’t having its best showing. It is no surprise that the Fever’s current four-game winning streak started when Timpson was inserted into the starting lineup.

Caitlin Clark led Indiana in scoring with 26 points, including a 12-point third quarter, and also dished out nine assists in the win as she helped facilitate the Fever offense through a rocky performance. Kelsey Mitchell added 20 points for Indiana, making it 19 consecutive games in which she has scored 20 or more points. She holds the WNBA single-season record for that achievement, and can tie the overall record of 20 games set by A’ja Wilson across the 2023 and 2024 seasons.

Aliyah Boston added 18 points and 14 rebounds as she notched her 11th double-double of the season. The Fever are now 10-1 this season when Boston puts up a double-double. Boston and Timpson battled hard on the glass all game long as they were matched up with one of the league’s best rebounders in Atlanta’s Angel Reese. The rebounding battle ended up even at 40-40 by the end of the game, but Indiana might will certainly take that as a win considering the result.

Atlanta’s Allisha Gray led all scorers with 32 points, including a red-hot 27 points on 9-14 shooting in the first three quarters as the Dream pushed ahead of the Fever. However, Gray’s hot shooting finally cooled down as she shot just 2-10 in the fourth quarter and OT as Atlanta faded down the stretch. Reese put up 15 points and 14 rebounds as she recorded her league-leading 23rd double-double of the year. Rhyne Howard added 17 points for Atlanta in the loss.

The Fever offense wasn’t as efficient as it usually is yesterday, as Timpson was the only starter to shoot over 50%. The other four Fever starters combined to shoot just 24-61 (39.3%) from the floor. Indiana also struggled from the free throw line early, shooting just 3-8 from the charity stripe in the first half, but the Fever found their form after halftime and shot 14-15 on free throws in the second half and OT.

Indiana’s defense was unusually stout in the win as well, as Atlanta had a very poor shooting performance and went 29-82 from the floor. The Dream’s 35.3% shooting percentage was the third-lowest opposing field goal percentage the Fever have allowed this season, and the best mark the team has posted since early June.

Timpson also deserves some credit here as she was tasked with guarding the opposing ball handler at the start of each possession. Her effort and tenacity in that role, along with that of her teammate Mitchell, helped set the tone for the Fever on the defensive end. Indiana head coach Stephanie White also sprinkled in a bit of zone defense down the stretch and that change in defensive strategy definitely knocked Atlanta off their game.

Indiana returns to action on Tuesday night with another road game against the Toronto Tempo (10-23). The Fever will look to extend their win streak to five games as action tips of at 7 pm ET on ESPN.

Right behind the Fever, and rounding out the current playoff standings, are the Atlanta Dream (21-12), New York Liberty (22-14), Washington Mystics (19-14), and the Wings. According to playoffstatus.com, which offers in-depth data analysis of the WNBA standings to predict playoff odds, no other team in the league has better than a 1% chance to break into the playoff picture. Therefore, we have a pretty clear picture of who the Fever will be competing against once the postseason rolls around.

Despite being just short of clinching a playoff spot, the Fever aren’t exactly set up for a relaxing end of the season. Six of Indiana’s final 10 games are against “playoff teams” as they have one game remaining against Atlanta, Dallas, New York, and Washington, and two games left against Minnesota. On top of that, the Fever will play four of those six games on the road. While this will certainly be a tough stretch for the Fever, it also offers them a chance to test the waters against some true title contenders before the playoffs roll around.

As things stand, it is unlikely that Fever will catch the Lynx or Valkyires, but they are within striking distance of the Aces for the third seed, and Indiana owns the tiebreaker over Las Vegas after winning their season series, 2-1. With a strong finish to the season, it is possible for Indiana to move up to the 3-seed in the playoffs.

The competition in the other half of the playoff picture should be much more interesting, as the Fever still have one game left to play against each of the four teams behind them. The outcomes of those matchups could change Indiana’s tiebreaker scenario for each opponent, as the Fever currently are 2-1 in their season series with the Liberty, 1-2 against the Dream, and an even 1-1 with the Mystics and Wings. This means that Indiana can secure their tiebreaker over the New York, Washington, and Dallas with wins in the coming weeks, while the best case scenario with Atlanta is to pull even.

When you put all of this info together, the most likely outcomes for Indiana are finishing as the third, fourth, or fifth seed in the WNBA playoffs. While the Fever face a tough final stretch if the season, they are also in a position to gain some ground and gather control over the other teams battling for playoff seeding. If the Fever can find a way to win some of these tougher matchups in the coming weeks, the could be riding pretty high when the postseason rolls around.

The Fever are 11-5 at home this season and have been a much better team inside the friendly confines of Gainbridge Fieldhouse. However, the Aces are 12-4 on the road, good for the second-best road record in the WNBA, and defeated the Atlanta Dream (19-11) in a dominant 109-87 road win on Monday night. The Dream are tied with the Fever for the top spot in the Eastern Conference, so a win tonight could secure a season sweep of the Aces while also asserting the Fever’s place as the top team in the East.

Indiana has struggled against opponents with winning records this season, going just 7-9 against opponents over .500, but two of those wins did come against a Las Vegas team that boasts the second-best record in the league. As we enter the final third of the season, Indiana will need to find more success against these tougher opponents in order to be seen as a legitimate title contender this postseason. Pulling off a season sweep against the team that knocked them out of the playoffs last year would be a huge boost of confidence for this Indiana team.

Kelsey Mitchell played an important role in both of the Fever’s wins over the Aces this season, as she scored 27 points and led all scorers in each game. The All-Star guard has scored 20 or more points in 14 consecutive games and she can tie the WNBA record of 15 straight games, held by Aces forward A’ja Wilson, if she can do it again tonight against Las Vegas. Mitchell is now second in the WNBA in scoring with 24.0 points per game, behind only Wilson.

Wilson has had a dominant season, as she is top-3 in the league in points (1st - 26.6), rebounds (3rd - 9.6), and blocks (1st - 2.0) and is building quite a case to win her third straight MVP award. She put up a good stat line in the Aces’ July 12 loss as she had 20 points, 12 rebounds, and two blocks, but she struggled shooting the ball and finished 9-23 from the floor that night. Wilson didn’t play in the July 5 matchup with the Fever due to an ankle injury. Indiana will need to stop Wilson from totally dominating this game in order to have a chance at a win, but don’t expect her to make it easy on the Fever and center Aliyah Boston tonight.

The Fever have listed Boston (knee) and guard Caitlin Clark (back) as game-time decisions tonight, although both are expected to play. Las Vegas has ruled out forward Cheyenne Parker-Tyus tonight due to a concussion. The game will tip-off in Indianapolis tonight at 7 p.m. ET and can be streamed on Amazon Prime Video.

Caitlin Clark led Indiana in scoring with 32 points and she also tacked on seven assists and four rebounds in the win. Kelsey Mitchell added 28 points for Indiana to extend her streak of scoring 20 or more points to a franchise-record 12 games, the third-longest streak in league history. Monique Billings tallied a double-double in the win with 14 points and 11 rebounds as well.

Natisha Hiedeman led all scorers with 33 points for Seattle as she shot 11-20 from the floor and 6-10 from 3-point range. Rookie Flau’jae Johnson added 16 points, but she struggled shooting the ball as she went 0-6 from beyond the arc and eventually fouled out. Forward Awa Fam put up 11 points and five rebounds as well for the Storm.

In my game preview, I had anticipated an exciting matchup between All-Star centers Dominique Malonga for Seattle and Aliyah Boston for Indiana, but it didn’t pan out as Malonga sat out with a back injury and Boston left the game in the second quarter with a knee injury. Boston played just 10 minutes in the game, but she played well and scored 11 points before leaving the game. She was never officially ruled out of the game but she did not return after the injury.

Indiana’s offense came out firing on all cylinders as the Fever jumped out to a 37-20 lead after the first quarter. Clark had nine points and four assists in the opening frame, while Sophie Cunningham scored all 11 of her points in a burst of scoring off the bench to close the quarter. In the second and third quarters, Seattle began to eat away at the Indiana lead and the Fever were only up two points, 76-74, heading into the fourth.

As the Indiana offense slowed down without Boston, Clark made sure that the Fever stayed ahead as she scored 16 of the team’s 18 points in the third quarter. She shot 4-6 in the quarter including two 3-pointers and also went 6-6 from the free throw line to keep the Fever offense from totally flatlining before heading into the fourth quarter.

Once crunch time started, Kelsey Mitchell took over as the All-Star scored 18 of her 28 points in the fourth quarter to seal the win for Indiana. She hit a pair of threes early to extend the Fever lead and her shots just kept falling as she went 6-7 from the floor and 3-3 from deep to put the Storm away for good and extend her streak.

The difference in this game was offensive efficiency, and Indiana put on a masterclass in last night’s win. The Fever shot 33-64 (52%) from the floor, 13-24 (54%) from 3-point range, and a perfect 26-26 from the free-throw line. Indiana was especially dominant in the first and fourth quarters, outscoring Seattle 66-43 in those two quarters combined.

Meanwhile, Seattle shot just 32-79 (40%) from the floor, 11-34 (32%) from 3-point range, and 20-27 (74%) from the free-throw line. One area that Seattle excelled in was taking care of the ball as the Storm turned the ball over just five times as opposed to 13 turnovers from the Fever. Hiedeman had an electric game offensively but the rest of the Storm couldn’t give her the support to keep up with Indiana’s offensive performance.

Seattle was able to take advantage of Boston’s absence on the glass as the Storm grabbed 16 offensive rebounds last night, but they only mustered 14 points off of those extra possessions. Forward Mackenzie Holmes did make an appearance for the Storm as she played five minutes off the bench in the absence of Malonga. Holmes didn’t score but she did grab two rebounds in her short stint on the floor.

Indiana’s next game is on Friday, July 31, as the Fever continue their road trip with a matchup against the Portland Fire (11-17). Indiana is 1-1 against Portland this season, winning the first matchup at home 90-73 and losing the second matchup on the road 100-84. The winner of Friday’s game will take the season series between the two teams. The game tips off at 10 pm ET and will be aired on the ION network.

All-Star guard Caitlin Clark is listened as a game-time decision for Indiana as she continues to deal with a back injury. The Fever have also listed guard Bree Hall (ankle) as a game-time decision and center Damiris Dantas (knee) has been ruled out for tonight’s game. All-Star center Aliyah Boston is set to play against the Storm for the first time this season as she missed the two previous matchups with a lower leg injury. For Seattle, All-Star center Dominique Malonga is also listed as a game-time decision with a back injury, while Taina Mair and Ezi Magbegor have been ruled out.

Indiana’s offense was red hot before the All-Star break, as the Fever have averaged 100.4 points over their last nine games, and they now lead the WNBA with a season average of 95.5 points per game. All-Star guard Kelsey Mitchell will look to extend her streak of 11 games with 20 or more points tonight, which includes a 30-point performance against the Storm on July 17. In that same matchup, Clark made history as her 45 points and 10 assists made her the first player in WNBA history with 40 0r more points and 10 or more assists in a game.

Defensively, the Fever struggled in their last matchup with the Storm as all five of Seattle’s starters scored 15 or more points. Malonga led the way for Seattle with 28 points that night, as she had her way against an Indiana defense that struggled without Boston on the floor. If Malonga is able to play tonight, it will lead to an exciting matchup between the two All-Star centers and that battle will certainly have a large impact on tonight’s outcome.

For my fellow Indiana University women’s basketball fans, keep an eye out for Hoosier legend Mackenzie Holmes as she will suit up for Seattle tonight. Her playing time has been sparse over the past month as Seattle’s frontcourt has gotten healthier, but she could see some action if Malonga is unable to play or if this game ends up not being close late.

If you’re looking to tune in for tonight’s game, it is scheduled to tip-off in Seattle at 9:30 pm ET and will be aired on ESPN.

It was only fitting that Indiana’s trio of All-Star starters dominated in the final game before heading to Chicago for the WNBA All-Star Game on Saturday night. Guard Caitlin Clark led the team in scoring with 27 points, as she hit her first five 3-pointers of the game, while also dishing out 11 assists. It was the fourth time this season that she had 25 or more points and 10 or more assists in a game. Guard Kelsey Mitchell added 23 points of her own to extend her streak of scoring 20 or more points to 11 games. Center Aliyah Boston put up 22 points in just 20 minutes as she returned from a one-game absence due to a knee injury.

The Sun had six players score 10 or more points, led by Diamond Miller with 15. Saniya Rivers added 13 points and six rebounds for Connecticut as she returned to action after missing the previous game due to injury. The Sun were without center Brittney Griner (knee) and Aaliyah Edwards (knee) due to injuries.

The Fever have now won seven of their last nine games and ride a 3-game winning streak into All-Star weekend. All three of the Indiana’s All-Stars were named starters, but they won’t all suit up for the same team this time around as the two All-Star squads were drafted by WNBA legends Cynthia Cooper and Teresa Weatherspoon. Mitchell will play for Team Coop on Saturday night while Clark and Boston will play for Team Spoon. It has been reported that Clark was invited to participate in the WNBA 3-Point Shooting Contest on Friday night but declined the invite so the only Fever action this weekend will come on Saturday night.

After the All-Star break, Indiana will return to play on July 28 in a matchup with the Seattle Storm (6-23) that will kick off a 3-game road trip that also includes games against the Portland Fire (11-16) and the Minnesota Lynx (22-6). Minnesota boasts the top record in the league and also just saw five-time All-Star Napheesa Collier return to action for the first time this season after recovering from multiple ankle surgeries in the offseason. That road-trip finale will be the first time the Fever and Lynx face off this season, and it will offer Indiana an important opportunity to see where they stand against the best in the WNBA.

All-Star guard Caitlin Clark is listed as a game-time decision for Indiana due to a back injury that has plagued her all season, while center Damiris Dantas has been ruled out with a knee injury. Meanwhile, the Sun have listed center Brittney Griner (knee) and guard Saniya Rivers (ankle) as game-time decisions, and have ruled out forward Aaliyah Edwards (knee) and Ashlon Jackson (coach’s decision) for tonight’s matchup.

Indiana defeated Connecticut 85-75 in their only matchup this season son June 1. Clark led all scorers with 25 points and also had five assists in the win. The Fever’s other All-Stars also played well in the win as center Aliyah Boston posted a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds while guard Kelsey Mitchell added 19 points of her own. The Sun had four players score in double digits in the loss, led by center Olivia Nelson-Ododa who had 12 points off the bench.

Much of the struggles for the Sun have come on the offensive end this, as they rank last in the WNBA in points per game (79.7), 3-point field goals made (5.0), 3-point field goal percentage (27.7%), free throw percentage (69.8%), and offensive rating (100.6) so far this season. Tonight, that struggling offense is matching up with a Fever team that leads the league in points per game (94.4) and offensive rating (115.0), and is top-3 in most other offensive categories.

The Fever’s Mitchell has been on quite a hot streak recently as she has scored 20 or more points in 10 straight games, including back-to-back games with 30 or more points. If Clark is unable to suit up tonight, there will be an added layer of pressure for Mitchell to have a strong night on offense once again.

Guard Kelsey Mitchell has been the steadying force that rounds out Indiana’s All Star trio during this stretch of success, as she scored 30 or more points in consecutive games for the first time in her career the past two nights and extended her streak of scoring 20 or more points to 10 games as well. She is now third in the WNBA in scoring with 23.3 points per games, behind only the Aces’ A’ja Wilson (25.5 ppg) and the Sparks’ Kelsey Plum (23.9 ppg). Mitchell was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week on July 14 for the first time this season and the fifth of her career.

Clark grabbed headlines in the Fever’s win 110-107 win over the Storm on Friday night as she scored 45 points and dished out 10 assists as she became the first WNBA player to ever have 40+ points and 10+ assists in a game. Clark had been on a minutes restriction the previous two games as Indiana tried to ease her back from missing more time with the back injury she has been dealing with all season. She hasn’t played 30+ minutes in a game since June 20, but still ranks tied for fifth in scoring (20.7 ppg) and second in assists (7.8 apg) in the league this season.

Center Aliyah Boston scored 15 points and grabbed seven rebounds in the Fever’s 108-88 win over the Liberty last night after missing the previous night’s matchup with the Storm as she rested with a right lower leg injury that has lingered this season. Despite the nagging injury, Boston has scored 15+ points and grabbed 7+ rebounds in her last seven games for the Fever. She is 15th in the WNBA in scoring with 17.1 points per game and 10th in rebounding with 8.6 per game.

That trio will represent Indiana at All-Star Weekend for the third consecutive season, as all three Fever players will start in the WNBA All-Star Game in Chicago on July 25. Clark is making her third appearance in the All-Star Game while Mitchell and Boston are making their fourth appearances, all of which have come in the past four seasons. They now join Fever legend and 10-time WNBA All-Star Tamika Catchings as the only Fever players with 3 or more All-Star appearances.

The Dream’s 108 points were the most allowed by the Fever all season and Indiana has now allowed opponents to score 100+ points five times this season. All five of Atlanta’s starters scored at least 16 points, led by forward Angel Reese, who scored 21 points despite being in foul trouble for much of the second half.

Atlanta truly won the game with a dominant second quarter, outscoring Indiana 34-20 while shooting 13-18 (72.2%) from the floor. It really seemed like the Dream couldn’t miss in that second quarter as they made everything look easy on offense, with little to no resistance from the Fever defense either. Meanwhile, the typically elite Indiana offense floundered to shoot just 6-15 (40%) in the quarter and the Fever couldn’t overcome the damage done in the second.

Indiana did manage to make it close again in the fourth quarter, and it happened during a 5-minute stretch while Clark sat on the bench due to foul trouble. Clark sat down with 8:41 to play, and the Fever trailed 90-80 before a flurry of buckets from Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell got Indiana back into the ball game. Clark returned to the game with 3:28 to play and the Fever trailing 95-93, and a Mitchell layup tied the game soon after. Unfortunately, Indiana’s defense fell apart again down the stretch as Atlanta ended up winning comfortably with a 13-6 run to finish the game.

I don’t mean to pin all of Indiana’s defensive struggles on Clark as she is certainly not the only player on the Fever with room for improvement on that end of the floor. However, I think opposing teams know that Clark is a liability on the defensive end and we have seen teams try to single her out and attack her when they get the matchups they want. Indiana needs to find a way to cover more for Clark on the defensive end, but this roster really wasn’t built to do that very well.

The Fever now have to head down to Atlanta for another matchup with the Dream on Saturday night. The disappointing loss on Thursday did highlight two areas of Indiana’s game that have seen drastically different results in the Fever’s wins and losses: defense and rebounding.

Indiana’s defensive woes are well documented, but the Fever have proven that when their defense isn’t awful, they can win games. In wins, the Fever have allowed 81.1 points per game, but that number skyrockets to 98.7 points per game in losses, which is a shocking 17.7 point discrepancy. Similarly, the Fever have allowed opponents to shoot just 41.6% on field goal attempts when they win, but that jumps up to 50.3% when Indiana loses, which results in a whopping 8.7% swing.

Furthermore, when Indiana’s opponent score 90+ points, the team is 2-5, but when the Fever hold opponents under 90 points, they are 7-1. So it seems like 90 points allowed is the magic number for Indiana this season, and I want to make it clear that 90 points a night is a VERY high number. Only two teams in the WNBA currently average over 90 points per game, with one of those teams being the Fever, so scoring 90 points would be an above-average performance for most opponents. If Indiana can just manage to muster up an average defensive performance on any given night, they’re usually due for a win, but the issue is that has been easier said than done for the Fever this season.

The other key area for Indiana has been rebounding, and the Fever were outrebounded 30-25 against the Dream on Thursday. I should note that it is difficult to grab rebounds when most of your opponent’s shots are going in, and I think that has been reflected in the numbers this season for Indiana.

In wins this season, the Fever have averaged 36.8 rebounds while holding opponents to 28.0 rebounds, resulting in an advantage of +8.8 in those games. In losses, Indiana has averaged 30.5 rebounds while allowing opponents to grab 35.0 rebounds, leading to a deficit of -4.5 in defeats. From this, it is clear to see that Indiana’s performance on the glass is closely tied to whether the Fever end up in the win column to end the night.

At 9-6, the Fever have the third-best record in the East and the seventh-best in the WNBA, which puts them comfortably in position to make the postseason but also just outside the ranks of the best teams in the league. Saturday’s rematch with Atlanta offers Indiana another chance to prove it belongs in the conversation with those title contenders, but the Fever will need to show lots of improvement in their defense and rebounding in order to do so.

That was the only downside for Indiana last night as the Fever put on their best offensive show of the season. The 113 points against Toronto was the most Indiana has scored in regulation this season, and is just short of the 114 they scored in an OT win over the Sky last week. Indiana also had a season-high 52.2% shooting percentage while scoring at least 26 points in all four quarters last night. The Fever offense usually has lots of highs and lows during games, but that wasn’t the case last night as Indiana played an excellent game from tip-off to the final whistle.

After watching last night’s game, I wanted to take a closer look at some of the elite individual performances from Fever players to highlight what they did to help the team win.

Kelsey Mitchell’s Consistency Carries the Offense

Mitchell led the Fever with 27 points while shooting 9-11 from the floor, 6-6 from the free throw line, and 3-4 from three-point range. That kind of efficiency is rare to find, and Mitchell made it look easy last night as she so often does. She is now third in the WNBA in scoring with 20.8 points per game, as she notched her seventh game with 20+ points this season.

Mitchell’s level-headed veteran approach to the game is a much needed on a roster with volatile young stars like Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston. She consistently delivers on the offensive end for Indiana, having scored 10+ in all 14 games this season and 15+ points in 12 of those games. While many of the younger players on the Fever roster have much more variability in their performances from night to night, Mitchell finds a way to always deliver a solid performance on offense. The Indiana offense wouldn’t be able to reach the highs that is has this season without her.

Caitlin Clark Shows How High Her Ceiling Can Go

Indiana’s flashy point guard put on a great performance Tuesday night as she scored 21 points and dished out a season-high 14 assists. Clark made some spectacular plays on the offensive end with some beautiful behind-the-back moves that herself and her teammates up for easy points all night. As Clark dished out assist after assist last night, it was clear that her elite court vision and ability to set up teammates for good shots had the offense running on all cylinders. She now leads the WNBA with 8.3 assists a game, while also being fourth in the league with 20.4 points per game.

The craziest part about it all is that she could have easily played a lot better! Clark had a poor night shooting the ball, as she went 5-15 from the floor, 10-14 from the free throw line, and 1-8 from beyond the arc. She has definitely gotten her swagger back on offense, and it showed as she took step-back three after step-back three throughout the game, missing them all before finally hitting her final one in the fourth quarter. She also had several times where Clark thought she got fouled on offense so she began to complain to the refs, all while the Tempo took the ball down the floor in transition for an easy possession.

Despite those struggles, Clark still had her fourth game with 20+ points and 10+ assists this season to lead an electric Indiana offense. The Fever need Clark to play with confidence and she have seen that from her recently during Indiana’s 4-game winning streak. If she can tighten up her shot selection and play through contact without expecting a whistle on every play, there is not telling how high she and this Fever team can go.

Aliyah Boston Is Establishing Herself in the Post

Indiana’s All-Star center put up 18 points on 7-11 shooting while grabbing 11 rebounds to secure her fourth consecutive double-double, and her fifth of the season. It’s no coincidence that Boston’s dominant stretch has coincided with Indiana’s winning streak.

The Fever are sixth in the WNBA in rebounding at 34.9 per game, but in the last four Fever wins they have averaged 38.8 rebounds, which is the best in the league over that stretch. Indiana has also limited opponents to 29.5 rebounds in their last four games, which means the Fever have had 9.3 more rebounds than their opponents during the winning streak. Boston’s dominance in the post has played a huge part in that advantage and she has been a major factor in Indiana’s recent success.

Sophie Cunningham Has Been an X-Factor Off The Bench

The Fever shooting guard her best night of the season as she scored 24 points in just 23 minutes off the bench for Indiana. Cunningham shot 8-11 from the floor and went 6-7 from three-point range as her hot shooting in the second half helped the Fever run away with the win.

Cunningham has also played quite well during the Fever’s recent win streak, although she did sit out the win over the Sky due to an elbow injury. She was initially a starter for Indiana this season but was moved to the bench after she struggled in her first three games. In the 10 games since, Cunningham has really come into her role off the bench as she has averaged 10.9 points per game. If she can continue to deliver points off the bench, it just makes the Indiana offense that more dangerous and effective.

The Fever are now third in the East at 9-5, sitting one game behind the New York Liberty (10-4) and a half-game behind the Atlanta Dream (9-4). Indiana will look to continue it’s winning streak as they head into a busy stretch of four games in eight days. That starts with with two games against Atlanta, at home on Thursday, 6/18, and away on Saturday, 6/20. Then Indiana has two more home games against the Phoenix Mercury (4-11) on Monday,6/22, and Wednesday, 6/24. Look out for a preview column ahead of those matchups.

The Indiana Fever (7-5) have played four games in the 2026 Commissioner’s Cup and have a 3-1 record in those games, good for second in the Eastern Conference behind the New York Liberty (9-4; 4-0 in Cup games). Indiana will play two more Cup games in the next week, with a road matchup tonight against the Connecticut Sun (2-12; 0-4) before returning home to face the Toronto Tempo (7-6; 2-2).

Despite being just one game behind the Liberty in the Cup standings, the Fever are in quite a hole as they lost their Cup matchup with the New York, 83-75, and head-to-head records in Cup games is the only tiebreaker. That means that Indiana needs to win its last two Cup games AND New York needs to lose its last two games in order for the Fever to finish as the top Eastern Conference team.

As the Fever hope to become the first team to win back-to-back Commissioner’s Cups since the competition began in 2021, I took a closer look at Indiana’s remaining matchups to see what it needs to do to handle business and keep that dream alive.

At Connecticut Sun, June 12, 6 pm EST

Tonight’s game will be the first matchup between these two teams in 2026. The Sun hold the worst record in the league at 2-12 this season, and the Fever are certainly favored to win heading into this one.

Veteran center Brittney Griner has led the Sun in scoring with 12.8 points per game this season, but she has also played in just six of 14 games for the Sun this season. Forward Aneesah Morrow has averaged 12.3 points and 10.9 rebounds for the Connecticut, and she and Griner will provide a formidable frontcourt duo for the Fever to deal with tonight. Guard Hailey Van Lith is currently the only player on the injury report for the Sun, as she is listed as Out with an ankle injury.

Meanwhile, Indiana lists guards Caitlin Clark (back) and Sophie Cunningham (elbow) as game-time decisions tonight. Clark was able to suit up in Thursday night’s win over the Chicago Sky, but Cunningham sat out with the elbow injury so Fever fans will want to keep an eye on her status ahead of tip-off.

Center Aliyah Boston is my player to watch for this matchup, coming off a dominant performance in the win over the Sky where she scored a career-high 34 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to notch her third double-double of the season. Boston faces a tough matchup with Griner and Morrow on the other side, so that battle will be crucial tonight, and should also be a lot of fun to watch.

Vs Toronto Tempo, June 12, 7 pm EST

This matchup will be the first ever game between the Fever and the Tempo, who are one of two expansion teams to join the WNBA ahead of the 2026 season. Toronto’s 7-6 record is good for fourth in the Eastern Conference so far this season. The Tempo are led by a high-scoring backcourt as guards Brittney Sykes (21.5 ppg) and Marina Mabrey (18.6 ppg) lead the team in scoring.

The Fever are third in the WNBA in scoring with 90.3 ppg this season, and the Tempo are fourth with 89.5 ppg, so this game could turn into a shootout just like Indiana’s game against Chicago did on Thursday night. My players to watch for this matchup are Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell. The two guards will need to be at the top of their games for Indiana to win this matchup matchup against a talented Toronto backcourt.

Clark tied her season high with 32 points on Thursday night, as she went 15-15 on free throws in the win. Mitchell put up 17 points against the Sky, and she leads the Fever with 20.4 ppg, which also has her tied for fourth in the WNBA in scoring.

As things stand, the Fever have their work cut out for them this week if they want to defend their Commissioner’s Cup title. While they will need some help from the Liberty in the form of a couple of losses, all the Fever can do on their end is win. Indiana will also get a clearer picture of where it stands in the East after their first matchups against the Sun and Tempo this season.

In my last article, I highlighted some important numbers from the Fever’s stats to open the season, so I looked back at how Indiana performed in those 3 key areas last night.

Mitchell’s Efficiency Buoys Offense

All-Star guard Kelsey Mitchell scored 25 points on 11-15 shooting, including 3-4 from beyond the arc, in the Fever win. As a team, Indiana shot a decent 30-63 (48%) on field goal attempts, and 11-25 (44%) from 3-point range. Mitchell’s elite efficiency played a huge role in Indiana’s offensive success against Atlanta.

Aliyah Boston scored 19 points on 6-12 shooting to support Mitchell’s efforts, while Caitlin Clark scored 17 points and dished out eight assists as well. Clark was less efficient shooting the ball, going just 6-17 on the night, but her passing abilities open up a lot of opportunities for the Fever offense as well. It’s crucial for Indiana to have Clark staying involved and productive in the offense even when her shots aren’t falling consistently.

Fever Defense Dominated the Dream

The Dream had a nightmare performance shooting the ball on Thursday, as they went 23-67 (34%) from the floor and 6-21 (29%) from 3-point range. That 34% on FGA was the lowest Indiana has allowed all season, which is especially impressive considering Atlanta is one of the top teams in the league so far this season.

The strong performance on defense allowed Indiana to control the pace a bit more and prevent Atlanta from turning the game into a shootout. The stops also allowed Indiana to prevent Atlanta from setting up its half court defense, giving the Fever easier chances to score after those defensive stops.

Indiana Wins on the Glass Once Again

The Fever won the rebounding battle 35-30 on Thursday, with Boston, Clark, and Myisha Hines-Allen all grabbing seven rebounds each. Winning the rebounding battle is especially important when your opponent is having an off night shooting the ball, as it limits second chance opportunities for the opponent.

The Dream did manage to grab nine offensive rebounds, which they turned into 10 second-chance points, but it wasn’t nearly enough to turn the tide on the glass or in the game.

Indiana played a well-rounded game and was successful on all fronts in Thursday’s win. The challenge this season has been to string a few of those performances together, as Indiana’s rollercoaster start has made it difficult for the Fever to find a consistent floor/ceiling so far.

Indiana will have an opportunity to do so in their second Commissioner’s Cup game of the season on Saturday when they travel to Brooklyn to face the New York Liberty (6-4; 1-0) at 8 pm eastern.

I took a closer look at the Fever’s stats so far this season, and here are a few insights I gathered:

Less Is More For Fever Offense

When the Fever have scored 100+ points this season, they’re 0-2. When they shoot the ball 70+ times, they’re 0-3. On average, the Fever score 89 points in their wins and 94.5 points in their losses. Similarly, Indiana has averaged 63.8 field goal attempts in their wins and 75 FGA in their losses

Early on, it looks like efficient offense has led to more success than fast-paced offense for Indiana.

Porous Defense Leading to Losses

The Fever have allowed an average of 77.8 ppg in their wins this season, and a whopping 100.3 ppg in their losses this season, so it’s easy to see the issue here for Indiana. The Fever have managed to hold opponents to a 41.3% on field goals, but have allowed opponents to shoot 53% from the floor in their losses.

It’s simply been about quality and execution on the defensive end for Indiana, and the Fever have been very inconsistent on a game-to-game basis on that end of the floor.

Strong Rebounding Has Led to Wins

The Fever are 11th in the WNBA with 32.3 rebounds per game which puts them in the bottom five of the league. Once again, there is a significant difference between the numbers in Indiana’s wins and losses.

In wins, the Fever average 35.3 rebounds a game, and they had a +9.3 rebounding advantage against their opponents in those wins. However, in their losses Indiana grabbed just 29.3 rebounds a game and had a -4.0 disadvantage on the glass.

The Fever don’t have the biggest front court in the league by any means, but rebounding has been very important so far this season. Indiana wins games when it wins the rebounding battle, plain and simple.

Summary

The sample size for the 2026 season is still very small so these numbers mainly help us look back on what happened early on for the Fever this season. The rollercoaster start to the season has led to quite a bit of variance in the numbers, especially when you look at Indiana’s wins and losses

The insights I gained so far are that the Fever need to find a balance between pace and efficiency offense, commit to rebounding as a team, and find quite a bit more fight and tenacity on the defensive end.

After watching the game, here are 5 Quick Things I took from the Indiana win.

Boston Stepped Up Big

The Fever center set season highs with 24 points and 8 rebounds in just 21 minutes as she dominated the Fire frontcourt. Boston scored from all levels as she shot 8-11 from the floor, 6-6 from the free throw line, and 2-4 from beyond the arc. Her performance was huge as she returned from a lower leg injury that kept her out last game.

Mitchell’s Consistency Continues

Kelsey Mitchell scored 21 points on 6-11 shooting as she had multiple bursts of offense throughout the game to provide a spark for Indiana and prevent Portland from getting back into the game. Mitchell has now scored 20+ points in four times in five games to start the season. She has been proven to be Indiana’s most stable source of offense so far this season.

Lexie Hull Shines in Starting Role

The Indiana guard got her second start of the season tonight and she made the most of the opportunity with 16 points and 8 rebounds. Hull had a perfect shooting night as she went 4-4 from 3-point range and 4-4 on free throws as well. Her defense and rebounding also helped set the tone in a physical matchup.

Indiana Defense Shows Improvement

The Fever held the Fire to just 73 points to set a new season-low for a defense that has really struggled at times this year. Indiana forced 14 turnovers and took advantage by scoring 20 points off those turnovers.

The Fever also dominated the rebounding battle 45-29 and limited the Fire to three offensive rebounds and six second-chance points.

Johnson Looked Confident Despite Struggles

Rookie point guard Raven Johnson played 22 minutes tonight in Clark’s absence and had an up-and-down performance. She scored for the first time since the season opener as she put up 9 points. However, she shot just 3-12 on the night, including 1-8 from three, and had 3 turnovers on offense and her defense was lacking at times.

Despite her struggles, Johnson was still confident as she stepped into her shots and didn’t seem too phased when the shots weren’t falling. Indiana needs her to keep that confidence as she continues to grow and develop as this year.

The Fever finish a 4-game homestand on Friday as they host the Golden State Valkyries at 7:30 PM EST. Golden State will be on the second night of a back-to-back as they play the Liberty in New York tomorrow night.