Ty Harris will miss the playoffs after suffering a broken bone in the regular-season finale against the Minnesota Lynx. Harris was an integral part of the Fever’s second unit, backing up Caitlin Clark in the point guard spot. She has also been to the playoffs four times, including a deep run with the Connecticut Sun in 2023, so her experience would have been valuable as well.
With Harris out, rookie Raven Johnson could suddenly be looking at a much bigger role than imagined in her first WNBA playoff series. Sophie Cunningham can fill some backup ball-handler minutes, especially with help from Kelsey Mitchell and Aliyah Boston, but she has been very up and down lately, and Stephanie White has opted to go with Johnson instead of the veteran before.
If Cunningham and Lexie Hull don’t deliver defensively or on the boards, Johnson could be looking at big minutes as the backup point guard or even next to Clark and Mitchell in a three-guard lineup.
Raven Johnson brings defense and energy
Johnson played her way up the draft boards in her final season at South Carolina by proving that she could score at a higher level than she had previously shown. Even her 3-point shot came along. Still, when the Fever drafted her in the first round, it was because she is an excellent defender and a winner, and not because of her scoring.
Johnson has been pretty much as advertised. She can give opposing guards trouble as a defender, but her scoring isn’t quite there yet. Her six points in a 93-77 loss to the Washington Mystics earlier this week marked the first time since early July that she scored more than two points. It also marked the first time in that same span that she played more than nine minutes in a game. She also played 23 minutes in the final game against Minnesota, which should help her in the playoffs.
“We’re going to miss her on the floor,” Stephanie White said about Harris at a Fever media availability on Saturday, “but the great thing is that Raven has gotten quality minutes, especially over the last few games, and I think her impact on our team on both ends of the floor has been felt, so she’s going to be ready.”
Ideally, the Fever won’t need their rookie to play a ton of minutes. Clark and Mitchell should take the brunt of the backcourt minutes, and Hull and Cunningham should be able to hold down the wing position. There’s no better time for the latter two to be consistent 3-point threats again and make an impact on defense and on the glass. If Johnson has to play, the Fever better hope that she’s as ready as White said she is.
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