Fever’s depth shines in 109-91 preseason win over Liberty
Indiana’s revamped depth was on full display as the Fever forced 24 turnovers, pushed the pace, and saw contributions across the roster in a preseason-opening win.
After prioritizing health this offseason, depth quickly followed on the Indiana Fever’s checklist. The two often go hand-in-hand, and last season proved how fragile that balance can be.
For how the Fever want to play — and with their expectations — a complete, reliable 12-player roster is essential.
They opened their three-game preseason slate Saturday in New York against a talented, taller Liberty team. Indiana led most of the way, building a double-digit advantage just over six minutes in and topping the century mark in a 109-91 victory.
Kelsey Mitchell scored 18 points in 17 minutes, veteran addition Shatori Walker-Kimbrough added 18 off the bench, and rookie guard Raven Johnson impressed with six points (3-for-3), eight assists, and zero turnovers in 18 minutes.
Every player flashed something.
Johnson’s two chase-down blocks stood out as much as her ball-handling and playmaking. Justine Pissott confidently knocked down two 3-pointers, and Jessica Timmons (10 points) reached double figures — both showing how they can contribute.
Most notably, Caitlin Clark appeared in her first WNBA game since last July. She wasted no time, scoring on a floater 14 seconds in, then knocking down a step-back 3-pointer one minute later. Sophie Cunningham added her first of three 3s as the Fever jumped out to an 8-0 lead.
Clark said pregame she was excited to be back out there.
“I think any time you get to put on your uniform and lace up your shoes, you don’t take that for granted,” she said. “Especially having come off last year, and how I didn’t really get to do that very much.
“Coming into this game, just a lot of excitement, not a ton of nerves. Just get out there, run around, it’s gonna be probably a little sloppy here and there for both teams. That’s kind of what preseason games are about.
“And everybody’s just trying to get their footing again; same goes for me too. So I think obviously, I can rely on the USA Basketball stuff that I did. And that experience of getting back out there and my body feeling good, and bring that into today.”
And it was the first time we’ve seen this fast-paced team at their best all season. Training camp viewing for media has been limited to stretching, drills, and light shooting — so this was encouraging to see.
The Fever attempted 11 more shots than New York, committed just 12 turnovers despite a lot of minutes for reserves, and turned 24 Liberty turnovers into 29 points.
The biggest weakness was their interior defense. New York found success inside early, though points in the paint evened out at 46-46. The issue wasn’t just size — it was perimeter breakdowns and inconsistent help defense.
As expected in a preseason opener, starters saw limited second-half minutes. The Fever kept their starters around 18 minutes — about half the game.
Damiris Dantas has yet to join the team as she awaits her work visa. Aliyah Boston (right lower leg), Lexie Hull (hamstring), and newcomer Ty Harris were also held out due to injuries.
With Boston out, Myisha Hines-Allen started at the four and Monique Billings shifted to the 5.
Boston and Hull’s absences were precautionary. We’ve seen both Boston and Hull in camp every day.
“Just tightness,” head coach Stephanie White said pregame. “We’ve practiced five practices — and there’s really no reason to throw everybody out there. I think for us, getting eyes on new players, getting the new players that are in our system reps is gonna be important.
“It’s a long season and so making sure that we’re ready for the regular season. It’s gonna be a really good opportunity for us to evaluate some of our talent and for people to get to different positions. “
Harris, however, is on “a different level of return-to-play,” White said. The Indy product underwent left knee surgery nearly 11 months ago and has said she feels fully healthy.
She previously played under White in Connecticut and noted familiarity with the system, but the best way to build chemistry with teammates is on the court — so being out there is important.
The Fever have two preseason games remaining before their May 9 opener.
There’s still work to be done — but the first outing offered a strong early glimpse of their depth and tempo.
Watch my postgame recap below: