Fever, Caitlin Clark's playoff opponent officially revealed after loss vs. Mystics
09/19/2024 08:46 PM
Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever's playoff opponent has been revealed following their 92-91 loss to the Washington Mystics on Thursday night. The Fever will face the Connecticut Sun in the first round of the 2024 WNBA playoffs. Despite the loss, Indiana finishes the regular season with a 20-20 record and enters the postseason as the No. 6 seed, securing their first playoff appearance since 2016. Connecticut, the No. 3 seed, finished with a 28-12 record and holds a 3-1 season series advantage over Indiana.
The Fever rested key players, including Kelsey Mitchell, after she suffered a minor injury in the first quarter. Although she returned to the bench, Mitchell did not re-enter the game, and Fever head coach Christie Sides confirmed her absence was precautionary.
"She's fine. She's a warrior," said player development coach Jhared Simpson during the broadcast, via Chloe Peterson of the Indianapolis Star. Mitchell’s early exit paved the way for Indiana's backups to get significant playing time, with Kristy Wallace stepping up, scoring 17 points on 6-of-8 shooting in extended minutes.
Clark, likely the 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year, finished the regular season with eight points, eight assists and five rebounds. She was subbed out in the third quarter and did not reutrn. Clark, who leads the league in assists, has been a key contributor to Indiana's offense this season, averaging 19.2 points per game. Alongside Clark, Kelsey Mitchell has been another offensive leader, while WNBA All-Star Aliyah Boston and NaLyssa Smith have bolstered the team's frontcourt.
Mystics take advantage of lax Fever defense
The Mystics took advantage of Indiana's relaxed defense in the second and third quarters, scoring 48 points over that stretch. Despite their defensive struggles, the Fever closed the game on a high note, nearly overcoming a 15-point deficit late in the fourth quarter.
As Indiana prepares for their playoff series, defense will be a focus. The Fever finished the regular season ranked 11th in defensive rating, something the team has struggled to improve upon despite their offensive success. Sides has emphasized defense throughout the season, but it will be crucial as Indiana faces a Connecticut team known for its strong defense and ability to control the pace of the game.
The Sun enters the playoffs with a 3-1 edge over the Fever across the teams’ four regular season matchups in 2024, per Scott Horner of the Indianapolis Star. The Fever and the Sun started the 2024 WNBA season against each other – the Sun won that May game 92-71. Another game in May saw the Sun defeat Indiana again, albeit closer, with a 88-84 defeat. Connecticut won again in June, 89-72. The Fever finally got revenge in August, beating the Sun on Aug. 28 84-80.
The first game of the series is scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 22, at 3 p.m. ET on ABC, followed by Game 2 on Wednesday, Sept. 25, at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.
The post Fever, Caitlin Clark’s playoff opponent officially revealed after loss vs. Mystics appeared first on ClutchPoints.
