The Indiana Fever entered the season with championship expectations. Instead, they finished the regular season in sixth place and were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the reigning champion Las Vegas Aces, who knocked them out of the 2025 playoffs as well. The Fever's season came to an end Thursday night, when they lost 94-83 in Game 3 of their best-of-three first-round series.
The optimism in Indianapolis entering the season was well-founded. After all, they pushed the Aces to the limit in the semifinals last season despite losing six players to season-ending injuries, including Caitlin Clark. With Clark healthy, it seemed like the Fever would be ready to take the next step.
But their 107-104 loss to the Dallas Wings on opening day foreshadowed a frustrating campaign. Clark and Kelsey Mitchell powered the best offense in WNBA history. The Fever set records for the best offensive rating (115) and true shooting percentage (60.6%), as well as the most 100-point games (20) in a season.
Mitchell was second in the league in scoring, while Clark was third in scoring and second in assists, and their combined 47 points per game made them the highest-scoring duo ever. The Fever outscored many opponents en route to a franchise-record 28 wins (helped by the 44-game season), and amid a 10-2 stretch on either side of the All-Star break that included a dramatic overtime win over the Atlanta Dream, they were in the driver's seat for a top-four seed. But they went just 4-4 the rest of the way, dropped to sixth and never got back on track after the World Cup break.
But too often, their defense let them down, as it did in the playoffs against the Aces. Defense has never been a strong suit for Clark or Mitchell, and Aliyah Boston could only do so much on the backline, especially while spending all season dealing with a lower leg injury she sustained in Unrivaled. The Fever's 108.3 defensive rating was the worst mark among playoff teams; they rarely forced turnovers and too often dealt with foul trouble. (The Aces shot 35 free throws in the decisive Game 3, and 89 in the series.) Key free agent signing Monique Billings was a major disappointment, especially after the team gave her a two-year, $1.6 million deal.
She lost her starting spot in August to Makayla Timpson and averaged just 6.5 points and 4.7 rebounds. While Timpson showed some real promise, Billings' inability to shore up the frontcourt was a major issue for the Fever this season, especially with Boston's nagging injury. Lexie Hull, who also got two years and just under $1.6 million in free agency, had a tough season as well.
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