Inside Fever shootaround: 'It's got to be our best-executed 40 minutes yet'
The Fever enter a decisive Game 3 focused on execution, discipline and shot-making as they look to extend their season despite key injuries.
COLLEGE PARK, Ga. — The Indiana Fever extending their season comes down to 40 minutes. That’s the message from head coach Stephanie White.
Play hard and leave it all out there. Rebound, be disciplined on the defensive end, and make shots.
“For us, it's just embracing the moment,” White said after walking off the court Thursday morning. “We know that, again, it's a back-against-the-wall game for us so we had really good energy in shoot around, and attention to detail.
“It's got to be our best-executed 40 minutes yet.”
The Fever finished a productive shootaround at 11 a.m. and were focused, but also eager for what’s in store tonight.
About 3,800 fans will fill Gateway Center Arena in College Park — about 11 miles south of Atlanta — as the 3-seeded Dream look to advance (and potentially host) a second-round matchup.
The Dream’s injury report is clean. “No Injuries to Report.”
The Fever, however, are without Caitlin Clark and five others — including Damiris Dantas, who remains in the concussion protocol.
“We've been fighting through adversity all season long,” said guard Lexie Hull. “So I don't think that that is anything new for us.
“We've said it before: our backs have been against the wall all season and it's no different tonight. So I think we're used to kind of coming in feeling like a little bit of an underdog. So I think that's helped us prepare and just be a little bit more flexible, a little bit more gritty when it comes down to it.”
The Fever earned this opportunity by handling business on Tuesday, a 77-60 win at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The WNBA tweaked the format after last postseason from 2-1 to 1-1-1 — and the Fever took full advantage of their home game.
“We played with more urgency,” Hull said. “I think we made them feel from the start. We walked into our game plan and actually executed a little bit better. But I think we played with more joy and excitement. Obviously, it's easier to do that when you're on your home court. But hopefully we can bring that momentum and energy getting into the game tonight.”
The Fever remember their last visit here — it was just on Sunday — and going 2 for 15 from 3-point range. They also know the Dream are unlikely to shoot as poorly as they did in Indy, 5 for 19.
So what gives?
Can the Fever start strong for the third straight game? Can they limit turnovers, get out and run? Can they make shots?
“It's huge, we got to make shots,” White stressed. “We're gonna be in position where we've got to force the defense to work multiple sides of the floor. We got to step up and knock down open shots.”
And perhaps most importantly in this matchup: can they defend without fouling? Kelsey Mitchell, Hull, and Aliyah Boston all have difficult assignments and need to stay out of foul trouble.
“We did a better job in Game 2 of staying disciplined without fouling,” White said. “They do a really good job of coming into defenders and throwing fouls. They're really good at that. We have to make sure that we stay disciplined and we don't we don't become susceptible to trying to come down and block shots.”
That was a message White preached to the team in the huddle — and again on Thursday. The winner will advance to play either Las Vegas or Seattle in Round 2, which begins Sunday.
“We've got to be aggressive,” White said. “We can't be hesitant. We've got to let the ball find the right shot. It's got to be moving side to side. We've got to be willing to get to the third and fourth actions. That's oftentimes when we're getting our looks. We've got to be consistent. We still haven't put together a 40-minute consistent game in the series — and we’ve got to.”
Watch my full report from shootaround below — including interviews with White, Hull, and Atlanta’s Rhyne Howard: