'Keep starting over every day': Fever suffer another blow in 85-83 loss to Sun as hits keep coming

The Fever are being tested. Several injuries, four losses by a combined 10 points, and now they must regroup with just eight healthy players.

While there were pockets of empty seats, it was a great crowd (16.262) for what was Caitlin Clark’s first absence since joining the Fever.

The Indiana Fever are going through a lot right now. Having already lost star guard Caitlin Clark for at least the next few weeks due to a quad strain, two more guards could only watch the remainder of Friday’s home loss from the locker room.

Sydney Colson suffered a left-leg injury when Connecticut Sun guard Jacy Sheldon landed on her while diving after a loose ball. It happened near the end of the first quarter, and Colson needed assistance getting back to the locker room.

The Fever led by three points at the time, but were outscored by six in the second quarter.

Then in the fourth quarter, with 6:05 to play, Sophie Cunningham tweaked the same right ankle she hurt in their preseason finale in Atlanta on May 10. She was clearly in serious pain and, like Colson, needed help getting up and was assisted back to the locker room by athletic trainer Maria Witte.

“I think it kind of punched us in the gut for a little while,” head coach Stephanie White said postgame. “But look, the reality is this stuff happens. We've seen it time and time again in our league — having to find a way. We can't take two and a half quarters to then figure it out from a toughness standpoint, from an energy standpoint.

“I was proud of our fight in the fourth quarter after Sophie goes down, but our consistency throughout the course of the game has to be better.”

After the Fever’s 85-83 loss to the previously winless Sun (1–5), it led everyone in the interview room to consider the possibility of adding an emergency hardship player — given that they’re likely without Clark, Colson, and Cunningham in the short term. Now down to eight healthy players, a roster addition appears likely.

This comes at a time when the Fever are already working through typical early-season themes: building chemistry, learning tendencies, and making defensive strides.

The Fever are now 2–4, having lost four of their last five games — including three in a row.

“It's hard when you keep losing people,” said veteran DeWanna Bonner, who has also had to adjust. “You try to piece it together. And we came in with one game plan, then you lose your other point guard so you got to pivot on the fly. And we're a new team at that. So we got all these new pieces. We were still trying to figure it out when we had CC and Sid. Then you lose those two pieces.

“We're being tested right now. We got to depend on each other and use each other for energy right now. The worst thing you can do is fall apart and go your separate ways at that point. You just got to try to find a way to win.”

Caitlin Clark talking with Sophie Cunningham before the game.

Fever center Aliyah Boston had it going early and often — at least until fouls kept interrupting. The Fever took a 19-14 lead after she made her fourth shot (on her fourth attempt) — as many made shots as she had all of last game. They know they need to play the ball to her and through her more often.