Sitting at No.5, the Indiana Fever have pretty much lived up to the prediction, if not wholly. No.4 was the call, but without Caitlin Clark for more than half the season, that’s a decent place to be. “We have a resilient group,” Stephanie White says, and it reflects in their 18-14 record. However, have the Fever faced the real challenge yet, so close to the playoffs?
The 2025 WNBA season is in its business end. With just under a third of the season remaining, the playoff positions are starting to become clear. While the Minnesota Lynx, Atlanta Dream, and New York Liberty are sitting comfortably at the top, teams like the Indiana Fever and Las Vegas Aces are locked in a tight playoff battle. Especially for the former, this is the most crucial time of their season. Already without their best player, Caitlin Clark, there are even more concerns that lie ahead for them.
Sitting just 2.5 games ahead of the ninth-seeded Los Angeles Sparks, the Fever need to navigate even more injuries. Losing Aari McDonald and Sydney Colson in the same game has left the Indiana Fever without a true point guard. Clark’s status as of Monday evening? “She was at practice, but still not progressing,” as per Fever beat reporter, Scott Agness. Without a timeline, the situation is hanging in balance. However, if these barriers were not enough, there’s another one fast approaching– the team’s remaining schedule for the season.
Discussing the challenges the Indiana Fever faces, analyst Tony East explained the upcoming hurdles on the Locked On Women’s Basketball podcast. He said, “I think the Fever should want to be in that four or five (seed). Keep yourselves away from Minnesota and New York in the first round if you can. And, it’s going to be tough. Their schedule is hard late in the season, right? The Fever play, from August 22nd till the end of the season. So the last 11 games of the season, they play the Lynx three times, the Storm, and the Mercury.”
While Stephanie White & Co. may have defeated the Lynx in the Commissioner’s Cup final, the teams have yet to face in the regular season. Sitting atop the table with a comfortable 27-5, Cheryl Reeve’s squad is sure ready to spoil Indiana’s party. Despite Napheesa Collier’s injury, they haven’t slowed down yet. The team has gone undefeated in their last 5 games, and 3 of those came without the league’s leading scorer. Add a recently acquired, defensive weapon, DiJonai Carrington, to it, and the Lynx took down the defending champions.
So, the Fever has got every reason to be concerned. More so, considering Phee might even make a comeback by their next clash — 22nd August — because her recovery period is estimated to be 2 weeks. However, Lynx isn’t the only threat.
When it comes to the Phoenix Mercury, things get interesting. In their first meeting, the Indiana Fever eked out a close win. But in their return game, the Mercury handed them their worst loss of the season — 95-60 — and took down two of their guards. Watch out for the physicality. Adding to the trouble will be the LA Sparks, whom the Indiana Fever can’t seem to be able to beat this season. The only positive? Seattle Storm. A team they have defeated twice in the series.
Moreover, Skylar Diggins & Co. have slipped all the way down to 8 after hovering around in the top 5 initially. Not too difficult for the Fever to find themselves in a similar position– no point guards, tough schedule. The crucial goal, however? Not to finish 7th or 6th, which could bid them against the Liberty in the playoffs– a team they have lost to thrice.
Indiana Fever takes a win as Sophie Cunningham plays make-shift point guard
The Indiana Fever vs the Chicago Sky has suddenly become one of the most engaging rivalries in the WNBA. Their matchups have included a lot of excitement and sometimes, even controversies. This time on however, it was a relatively quiet affair. With both Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese missing the game due to injuries, it was an easy blowout win for the Indiana Fever.
However, it wasn’t foreseen as an easy win for the Fever. Playing without a true point guard, there were some concerns regarding their ball security and pace. However, with Sophie Cunningham assuming the point guard duties, things remained relatively smooth. The Fever had just 7 turnovers throughout the game and had 13 fast break points.
Aug 1, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham (8) points to her teammates during the first half against the Dallas Wings at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Even though Sophie Cunningham was listed as the point guard, it was Kelsey Mitchell who took over the ball-handling duties. She finished the game with 8 assists (her season high). With Aari McDonald and Sydney Colson out for the season and Caitlin Clark still away from action, Kelsey Mitchell’s role in the team may change till CC is back.
In this crucial stretch of the 2025 WNBA season, the Indiana Fever needs to make sure that it can tread water without Caitlin Clark. Whenever she does come back to the court, the Fever need to be in a position to make a deep playoff run.
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