The Indiana Fever concluded their regular season with a significant 86-66 defeat at the hands of the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx on Thursday night. The outcome of the game carried playoff seeding implications for the Fever, who struggled to gain momentum throughout the contest.
Playoff Path Set After Defeat
The loss positions Indiana for a first-round playoff series against the reigning champion Las Vegas Aces, a team spearheaded by MVP candidate A'ja Wilson. Had the Fever secured a victory, they would have instead faced the Atlanta Dream in the opening round.
This final regular-season encounter contrasted sharply with their previous matchup just two days prior. On Tuesday, the Fever had secured a notable home victory against the Lynx, at one point establishing Minnesota's largest deficit of the season.
Challenging Night for Star Rookie
However, the Lynx effectively stifled any lingering momentum from Indiana in the rematch. Rookie sensation Caitlin Clark endured a challenging evening, recording a career-low two points from 1-of-12 shooting from the field. She was 1-for-8 by halftime and played a total of 18 minutes.
The Fever faced a substantial deficit at halftime, trailing 62-32. Notably, Minnesota played shorthanded for the second consecutive game, with rookie Olivia Miles sidelined due to a calf injury.
While the Lynx opted to rest their starters for much of the second half during Tuesday's game, Indiana appeared to adopt a similar strategy on Thursday. After falling behind by 30 points in the third quarter, Clark's playing time was reduced, and Sophie Cunningham remained scoreless over 16 minutes on the court.
Clark had entered the game with an opportunity to achieve a historic milestone, potentially becoming the first WNBA player to accumulate 900 points and 300 assists in a single season. Requiring just 11 points to reach the 900-point threshold, her two-point performance meant she ultimately fell short, concluding the game with two points, three assists, and four rebounds.
Injuries and a Record-Breaking Performance
Compounding the team's difficulties, Indiana faced additional setbacks due to injuries. Starting center Aliyah Boston was unavailable, having been ruled out with a right lower leg injury. Furthermore, guard Ty Harris exited the game and had to be assisted off the court.
Amidst the challenging night, a notable achievement emerged for Indiana: Kelsey Mitchell set a new single-season record for three-pointers. She drained her 135th three of the season, surpassing the previous record of 134 held by Rhyne Howard. Mitchell paced the Fever offensively with 10 points, though her impressive streak of 27 consecutive games scoring 20 or more points came to an end. The Fever conclude their regular season with a 28-15 record.
The WNBA postseason is scheduled to commence on Sunday.
