The Indiana Fever could not have drawn up a much worse way to end the regular season.
Nothing went right Thursday night in Minneapolis.
The Fever fell behind 25-4, trailed by as many as 36 points and closed the 44-game regular season with an 86-66 loss to the Lynx — their largest defeat of the year and easily their worst performance.
“They came out aggressive,” Fever coach Stephanie White said postgame. “They punched us in the mouth. They’re the No. 1 seed for a reason, and they showed it tonight. They dictated on both ends of the floor and we didn’t really respond.”
But the final score wasn’t even the most concerning part.
Aliyah Boston was subbed out with 2:44 to play in the second quarter and did not return after what White described as the same right leg flaring up again. It’s an injury that goes back to the final week of the Unrivaled season.
Monique Billings replaced Boston in the lineup to begin the second half, with Boston held out as a precaution.
That’s not all.
Veteran guard Ty Harris later left with a left ankle injury, giving the Fever two health concerns less than 72 hours before the start of the WNBA playoffs.
Harris was fouled on a drive to the rim with 3:28 left in the third quarter. On the fall, her left leg got caught underneath her and she landed awkwardly on the ankle. The entire team surrounded her, with some teammates holding up towels to shield her from view.
Harris was not seen putting any weight on the leg and carried off the court by several staff members.
“No update on Ty yet,” White said postgame. “She’s still being evaluated.”
The Fever already knew this was going to be a challenging close to the regular season, playing four games in seven days coming out of the World Cup break. That included the final two games against the Lynx, who already clinched the No. 1 seed.
After a strong return in Toronto and a bounce-back win over Minnesota at home on Tuesday, Thursday’s rematch went in the complete opposite direction.
The Fever never led.
They didn’t look sharp. They lacked urgency. And as Hall of Famer Tamika Catchings mentioned on the USA Sports broadcast, it was like this group was too happy and satisfied with the way they had turned things around just two nights earlier.
The Lynx (33-11) capped their league-leading season with a home win and a bounce-back performance of their own. Head coach Cheryl Reeve pulled the starters just a quarter and a half into Tuesday’s game.
White did the same with 5:40 left in the third quarter and the Fever trailing 71-36.
