Fever get positive injury news, plan to add hardship player and simplify approach
Indiana’s depth is tested with just eight healthy players and another hardship signing expected before Tuesday’s game. Injury updates from practice on Sydney Colson, Sophie Cunningham.
The sound of WNBA basketballs bouncing returned to Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Sunday afternoon as the Indiana Fever resumed practice following a day off. Never mind the fact that they’re 2-4 and have dropped their last three games — they need healthy bodies to compete.
Already, starting guard Caitlin Clark is out for at least several weeks with a left quad strain. The Fever then suffered two more injuries in their loss on Friday to the Connecticut Sun.
Guard Sydney Colson is bothered by an upper left-leg injury, and Sophie Cunningham rolled her right ankle — the same one she tweaked back on May 10 in Atlanta. Both players needed assistance off the court and back to the locker room.
“We got good news from both of their MRIs, as good a news as you can get,” head coach Stephanie White said on Sunday after practice. “So right now, it's a day-to-day thing. We're looking forward to hopefully them returning at some point sooner rather than later, but at the same time, it's how each of them progresses in their rehab and in their return to the court action.”
Colson, 35, is a veteran ball-handler brought in for leadership and to be the third-string point guard. She was riding a stationary bike during the end of practice, then moved well as she put up shots with player development coach Keith Porter afterward.
“Syd’s been progressing really quickly,” White added.
To conclude practice, the team worked on spot shooting and outside shots. The Fever rank 11th (of 13 teams) in 3-point attempts per game (20.3). That number has to be higher — and so does their 33.6% shooting clip.
It was 3-pointers that helped the Fever erase a 15-point second-half deficit in Friday’s game and give them a chance to win in the final seconds.
Lexie Hull is shooting 57%, and Aliyah Boston is 1 for 2 this season.
The Fever also brought in the men’s practice players to help with numbers. Damiris Dantas was given the day off to rest, so they were down to seven players.
The team’s backup center became a pro in 2011, so they’re being extra cautious with her reps. She’s dealing with some soreness, and they don’t want that to become anything more.
Injuries to Clark, Colson, and Cunningham — their top three ball-handlers — leave Indiana with just eight players and two point guards in the meantime.
While the team had Saturday off, but it was important that the front office and coaching staff huddled together. It was about figuring out all their options, both internally and externally.
“With our coaches, (it’s) how we reimagine how we're using our players,” White said. “We've had a good opportunity in practice today to get a lot of different looks. We anticipate Washington coming with a lot of pressure so we've got to have our bigs be able to bring the ball down the floor, initiate offense. What are the best things for us to get into? Getting back to the basics and simplifying.”
The Fever are eligible to add one player via the emergency hardship exception. They intend to do so before hosting the Washington Mystics on Tuesday night.
“We're down in numbers, but we're looking at adding another player for a replacement player to help us with their numbers and try to get people healthy and try to get a full roster back together,” said team president Kelly Krauskopf, the original architect of the franchise who returned in September.
“Games are still coming so it’s going to be an adjustment, but we have a good group, we have good depth, thankfully. So that should help us.”
When asked whether she prioritizes a player who has been with Indiana and knows the system or simply the best player available, White emphasized it’s the latter — someone who can add value on both ends.