When thinking about teams who could play in the WNBA Finals, a few immediately come to mind. During the season's first month, predicting the newly revamped Indiana Fever would be among them was a fantasy. With two weeks left in the season, the Fever has proven that a run to the finals could be a reality. There are a lot of young players like Rookie Of The Year favorite, Caitlin Clark, who struggled to start the season. Despite their weaknesses, the Fever have overcome them to establish themselves as the hottest team in the league.   

To start the season, Indiana struggled with a 1-8 record and glaring weaknesses that their opponents exposed. Since the end of the first month, they are 18-9 and clinched a playoff berth before the season’s end. The Fever are the second team in WNBA history to make the playoffs after starting a season 1-8 or worse through nine games. They joined the 2001 Charlotte Sting, who reached the finals that season. Through the first month of the season, Indiana’s main weakness was on defense. They ranked last with a 112.2 defensive rating, which means they were giving up 112 points per 100 possessions. Their offense struggled as well, only posting a 96.6 offensive rating in the first nine games. The struggles aren’t irregular for a young team like the Fever. The potential of the team has always been there, but they needed time to build their chemistry and execute their schemes. 

Their success is predicated on their weaknesses from the first month, as they turned into strengths later in the season. The young duo of Clark and Aliyah Boston has been a big reason why the Fever has been winning. Clark averages 19.2 points with 3.1 threes, 8.5 assists, and 1.3 steals per game. She has multiple WNBA records both by a rookie and overall, including the only two triple-doubles by a rookie in league history. Boston has also performed well in the post, averaging 14.3 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game. With their chemistry finally coming together, she and Clark have created one of the best pick-and-roll duos in the league. Another key ingredient to Indiana’s success is All-Star guard, Kelsey Mitchell. She has excelled for the Fever, averaging 19.1 points, on 2.7 threes per game at a 39.2% efficiency. The guard play for Indiana has been strong enough to help them win, and make the playoffs. The Fever seemed to find a strategy that is often overlooked but will be vital for a huge run.

In the playoffs for any sport, the key to success is getting hot at the right time. Experience and skill are also important, but an unexpected team will make the most noise by playing their best when it matters. For Indiana, they’ve beaten teams considered to be in contention, like Seattle, Connecticut, and even Minnesota and New York. This shows they can compete with anyone, and their best game can beat any championship contender. In their win against Seattle, the Fever gained the edge because of Lexie Hull’s performance from outside the arc. She scored 22 points off the bench, including hitting six threes off seven attempts. Her shooting since the Olympic break has become an X-factor that should serve them well in the playoffs. In the last ten games, Hull has shot 33 three-pointers at a 69.7% efficiency rate and has seen her minutes increase to a starting role. Her hot shooting combined with the improved defense could help Indiana shock the WNBA world during the playoffs.

The playoff bracket is hard to navigate for some teams once they are locked into their seeds. The Fever, however, has a reasonable path as the sixth seed. At their spot, they are slated to play Connecticut, who they’ve bested before after the break. The next round would most likely give them their toughest test, the Minnesota Lynx. These two teams are separated by experience, but that could work in Indiana’s favor. If the Fever wants to get past the Lynx, they’ll look past their inexperience, and lean more towards their strengths, which were once their weaknesses. Among the top contenders in the WNBA playoffs, the most popular team could be the team to look out for. So with the postseason starting September 22nd, all eyes should be on the red-hot Indiana Fever.