Is there a better turnaround story in the WNBA this year than what is occurring with the Indiana Fever?
After years of abysmal records and struggling, the tide is turning and the addition of Caitlin Clark surrounded by talented play all over the court has the Indiana Fever with a winning record down the stretch for the first time in years.
At 17-16, the Fever have climbed into the No. 6 spot in the playoff hunt, leapfrogging the Phoenix Mercury.
Their four-game winning streak has them reaching new heights in WNBA power rankings and touching the upper echelon of the league. The Indiana Fever are No. 4 in ESPN’s WNBA power rankings.
As good as Mitchell, Clark and Boston have been, the rest of the Fever are doing their part, too. NaLyssa Smith has scored in double figures the past three games. Lexie Hull, known for her relentless defense, has scored in double figures in four of the Fever’s past seven games. Hull did that just twice in Indiana’s first 26 games. Damiris Dantas and Temi Fagbenle are veteran leaders who have really strengthened the bench. – Michael Voepel, ESPN
The Fever are getting contributions from all over. They have their horses that are leading the way but this turnaround, from a 1-8 record earlier in the year, has been a full team effort.
The effort has them up to No. 4 in CBS Sports’ WNBA power rankings as well.
Three more wins for the Fever this week, including a big one over the Sun, to run their winning streak to four games. That’s their longest since 2015, and this run has carried them over .500 for the first time since June 2019. Kelsey Mitchell and Caitlin Clark are second and third in the league, respectively, since the Olympic break, and during that run are averaging a combined 51.3 points, 9.1 rebounds and 11.4 assists. – Jack Maloney, CBS Sports
With just seven games left in the regular season, the Fever are close to clinching a playoff spot. The first team out of the playoffs, the 11-21 Atlanta Dream, are well back of them and it would be a wild turn of events for Indiana to fall out of the playoff hunt.
This week sees the Fever with two home games and more chances to stack wins on top of each other. They host the Los Angeles Sparks on Wednesday, Sept. 4 followed by a home game against the Minnesota Lynx on Friday, Sept. 6.
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