Indiana Fever
The Indiana Fever currently occupy the seventh seed, will they make a deep run? Read all about the Fever and their chances of making the playoffs.
The Indiana Fever won the WNBA Draft Lottery which came with the chance to select Caitlin Clark. If you have a TV chances are you have seen at least a commercial with Clark.
Clark has captivated basketball fans with her long three-pointers and sniper-like passing. The year did not start well for her and her Fever teammates.
The schedulers were not kind to Indiana with two games against Connecticut, two against New York, and one in Seattle to start the season. This led to a 0-5 start.
The fans and the national media were almost puzzled about why the Fever weren’t winning. The answer was simple, Clark was still getting her footing in a more physical league, she and Aliyah Boston were still building their chemistry, and Indiana played three veteran teams that were head and shoulders above the Fever.
After that 0-5 start the Fever has gone 11-10 and things seem to be clicking. This team’s biggest strength is offense.
Indiana has four players averaging double-digit scoring.
Caitlin Clark 17.1 ppg
Kelsey Mitchell 16.9 ppg
Aliyah Boston 14.2 ppg
NaLyssa Smith 11.6 ppg
Coach Christy Sides has received a lot of criticism this year. Most of it was just wrong and people who did not know basketball. But one of the issues I had with her was the unwillingness to reinsert Katie Lou Samuelson into the starting lineup over Kristy Wallace.
Samuelson is a 6’3’’ forward who is an effective three-point shooter. She provides the floor spacing necessary for Indiana to utilize all of Clark’s passing abilities.
Fortunately, she changed her mind and inserted Samuelson on July 2, 2024. Since that decision, the Fever have gone 3-2 with wins over New York, Phoenix, and Minnesota.
Key Stats
11-15 straight-up
14-12 ATS
17-19 to the over
81.8 points per game
44.8% field goal percentage
33.0% three-point field goal percentage
8.3 three-point field goals made per game
76.6% free throw percentage
8.3 offensive rebounds per game
15.4 turnovers per game
87.3 points allowed per game
44.6% opponent’s field goal percentage
35.2% opponent’s three-point percentage
8.6 three-point field goals allowed per game
81% opponent’s free throw percentage
8.4 offensive rebounds allowed per game
12.4 turnovers forced per game
Offensively the Fever is high speed and low drag but defensively they need work. If this team is to continue climbing up the standings, they need to force more turnovers and guard the three-point line.
Key Players
Caitlin Clark
Clark had a slow start for her standards and for the high expectations the world had for her. But since then she has been the star she has worked so hard to be in the W.
Clark is averaging 17.1 ppg, 5.8 rpg, and a league-high 8.2 apg. She is the overwhelming favorite for Rookie of the Year and was the leading vote-getter for the All-Star game.
Clark’s accomplishments so far
Fastest rookie to surpass 100 points and 50 assists
WNBA Rookie of the Month for May and July
First WNBA Rookie and Fever player to record a triple-double
Seventh rookie to be named a WNBA All-Star starter
With Clark not being named to the Olympic team she is getting extra time with her teammates, it will be exciting to see what she does in the second half.
Aliyah Boston
Boston only averaged 8.4 points a game in the Fever’s first five games but since then she has scored in double digits in 19 of the next 21 games.
The 2023 number one overall pick and rookie of the year, is the perfect running mate for Clark. Boston is averaging 14.2 ppg/ 8.7 rpg/ 2.7 apg while playing 30 minutes a game.
It has been a real treat for basketball fans to see her and Clark evolve as a duo. If this duo continues its growth, it could be the WNBA version of Kobe and Shaq.
Remaining Schedule
The Fever has a real chance of making some noise. After a grueling start to the season that saw them play five of their first seven games on the road, they are being rewarded on the tail end. The Fever play nine of their remaining 14 games at home.
Indiana’s strength of schedule sits at ninth with only one more game against the Sun, Storm, Mercury, and two against Aces (Both in Indy) and the Lynx.
Fanduel has Indiana’s current win total set at 17.5 juiced to the under at -142 with the over sitting at +112. I will be playing the over, it may come down to the last game of the season but 18 wins seems more than realistic.
I want to thank everyone who has taken the time to read my work. I’m continually looking for writing opportunities, if you want to collaborate, I can be contacted through this site or on X @Davesdailypicks.
