The Indiana Feverwill wrap their whirlwind 2024 season on the road Thursday against a Washington Mystics team they’ve beaten twice.
Why it matters: While a loss won’t impact the Fever’s rock-solid grip on the No. 6 seed in the 2024 WNBA playoffs, a win will send them into their first postseason appearance in eight years with some major momentum.
What they’re saying: “We had those tough ones real early and I think we lost some confidence … we were able to gain some of that back just by how we sort of played together,” head coach Christie Sides said Tuesday.
“I think now, with the way the fans are so supportive of us either home or away, it kind of gives you the feel of a home game sometimes out on the road.”
State of play: The Fever’s last game was another record outing for rookie sensation Caitlin Clark, who dropped a career-high 35 points on the Dallas Wings Sunday night en route to a 110-109 victory. The Fever are now 20-19.
Clark also broke the WNBA rookie single-season scoring record set by Minnesota Lynx No. 1 draft pick Seimone Augustus in 2006, and now has a total of 761 on the year.
Kelsey Mitchell set a new franchise record for total points scored and now has a total of 763 for the year.
Aliyah Boston set the new single-season rebounding record and has 352 so far this season. She set the previous record last year with 335.
Zoom in: There’s still some uncertainty on whom the Fever will face in the first round of the playoffs.
Three potential teams they could play — the Lynx, the Connecticut Sun and defending champions the Las Vegas Aces — are all in action Thursday as well.
Yes, but: No matter whom they draw, it’ll be a challenge for our home team.
This season the Fever are 1-2 against the Lynx, 1-3 against the Sun and 0-4 against the Aces.
Fun fact: The last time the Fever won 20 games was in 2015, when they went to the WNBA Finals and lost to the Lynx in five games.
What’s next: Tipoff is at 7pm.
How to watch: WTHR, Amazon Prime Video, WNBA League Pass or Fubo.