Facing several obstacles this season has become the Indiana Fever's identity. Their grit and don’t-quit approach to each game has landed them a spot in this year's playoffs after the team dominated the Washington Mystics on Sunday. It's no secret at this point that the Fever had to overcome much more than any other team in the league. Making the playoffs appeared impossible after the team suffered three season-ending injuries in less than two weeks—or at least impossible to everyone except members of the Fever organization. Their playoff clinching win over the Mystics also marked the team's 23rd win—the most in a single season in franchise history. The Fever organization as a whole should be applauded for where they've been able to get, given all they've been through in the last four months.
It was hopeful that Caitlin Clark would return from her injury just in time for the playoffs (one that has kept her sidelined since July 15). As of last week, however, those hopes have been diminished after the Fever announced that she will not be coming back to compete this season. All of these season-ending injuries have forced the Fever to bring in several new players on hardship contracts. The Fever will have finished the season with the WNBA's largest roster of 18 total players that have suited up for them.
The Indiana Fever will get to host at least one playoff game
The Fever will most certainly lock up either the No. 6 or No. 7 seed in the playoffs, but they still await their first-round opponent. Either way, the new playoff format will allow the Fever to host at least one game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse during the first round. The playoffs begin September 14 and the first round will be a best-of-three series. The higher seed will get to host games one and three (if the latter is necessary) while the lower seed gets to host game two of the series. Last year's format created a clear disadvantage for the lower seed because the higher-seeded team got to host the first two games of the series. This very format didn't allow the Fever to host a playoff game last season since they were swept in the first two games against the Connecticut Sun.
Indianapolis will undoubtedly be ready to support the Fever when they do host a playoff game for the first time in a decade. The game will either take place Tuesday, September 16, or Wednesday, September 17. The team has thrived on the‘next player up' mentality and hopes to ride it throughout the postseason. Every team starts with a 0-0 record in the playoffs and head coach Stephanie White vowed in her postgame speech Sunday that no team is going to want to face the Fever in the playoffs. A team full of players that have been through so much this season and have a level of resiliency that's inspiring to many very much controls its own destiny.
The Fever finish out their regular season Tuesday night hosting the first place Minnesota Lynx at 7:30 PM.