Fever turn full attention to Connecticut Sun after narrow loss to end regular season
The Fever are on to the playoffs for the first time since 2016. It begins Sunday in Connecticut, where they opened the season with this group back on May 14.
The Indiana Fever left Indianapolis on Wednesday for the first time in two weeks. Following a six-game homestand, they finished up their regular-season slate on Thursday in Washington DC.
They know they’re in the playoffs, having clinched the No. 6 seed with seven games to play. But they didn’t know their opponent until the final day of the regular season.
“This is probably, in all my years, one of the craziest finishes to a season with where people are gonna go,” second-year Fever coach Christie Sides said before the game. “I don't know if I've ever had to sit on a runway and wait to see if I'm going to Connecticut or to Vegas…”
Having last played on Sunday — Caitlin Clark scored a rookie record 35 points — the Fever spent the last week focusing on what they needed to be ready for Sunday. Yes, there was still one game to play, but it was meaningless for the standings and playoff seeding.
But you didn’t need to tell Washington Mystics Caitlin Clark fans that. For the second time this season, the Mystics moved their game to Capital One Arena, where the Wizards play, to accommodate more than 20,000 fans. (The Mystics’ home arena seats 4,200.)
This night was special, and now memorable, because the 20,711 attendance figure is now a new WNBA record.
“It's fun to play in front of these (fans), and you never get used to it,” said forward NaLyssa Smith. “Just always showing up and playing in front of sold-out crowds. Shout-out Caitlin, we appreciate her for this.”
Added guard Kristy Wallace: “We've been breaking records all year. It's amazing the movement that's happening and the shift in how popular this sport is becoming. And it's so exciting to be a part of.”
The Fever had to wait until Thursday evening, just as their game was ending, to officially learn that Connecticut had won and thus clinched the No. 3 seed.