In some way, someway, the Indiana Fever did it.
With Caitlin Clark, Sophie Cunningham, Aari McDonald, Sydney Colson, Damiris Dantas, and Chloe Bibby all sidelined, the Fever defeated the Atlanta Dream 87-85 to advance to the semi-finals.
It was a team-wide effort, headlined by All-WNBA candidate Kelsey Mitchell, who poured in a game-high 24 factors, as she usually does.
Fellow All-Star Aliyah Boston tallied 14 factors, 12 rebounds, and 6 assists — in addition to the game-winning layup with the clock winding down.
Lexie Hull posted 10 factors, 2 assists, and a couple of steals — the second of which got here with slightly below 5 seconds to go and the sport on the road.
And, by some means, collectively, the Fever did the unthinkable, upsetting the Dream on their very own dwelling courtroom.
The credit score should begin with Fever head coach Stephanie White
After the sport, Caitlin Clark instantly turned to social media to Tweet two phrases: “Stephanie White.”
The Fever head coach, a brand new addition to the squad this season, hasn’t been one of many league’s highest-touted coaches this season. Golden State Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase was named Coach of the Yr earlier this week, and Atlanta Dream coach Karl Smesko, Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve, and Las Vegas Aces coach Becky Hammon every acquired votes from the media.
White, a former Coach of the Yr in her personal proper, flew beneath the radar this season. However, not solely did she assist propel Mitchell and Boston to profession seasons, she additionally ensured that Indiana caught collectively no matter who was obtainable to lace up.
“I’ve by no means had a coach that poured into me, respectfully like Steph has,” Mitchell mentioned after Thursday’s decisive Sport 3 win. ‘For the primary time in my profession, I really feel like I’ve somebody that actually values what I carry to the desk as a participant and as an individual.”
The outcomes have been simple; Mitchell averaged 20.2 factors and three.4 assists this season, each career-highs. She’s a frontrunner to be named to First Crew All-WNBA, and can seemingly be a finalist for MVP.
Then, there’s Natasha Howard, who added 12 factors, 6 rebounds, and three assists on Wednesday night time. Howard is again in Indiana — the place she began her WNBA profession over a decade in the past — and she or he’s impacting successful.
And after the huge win, the 34-year-old glowingly mirrored on the influence of Stephanie White, too.
“For me, I’m simply grateful to have the ability to get again to Indiana and have the ability to be subsequent to the coach that coached me in my second yr within the league and simply her believing in me and trusting in me to steer this workforce,” Howard mentioned. “There’s plenty of weight on my shoulder, however hey, I’ve been by it earlier than, I can do it. She does a tremendous job for each particular person, not simply me and Kelsey, however each single particular person on the workforce that she believes in, and she or he pours into each single particular person. It doesn’t matter the way you play, what number of minutes you’re going to get, she’s going to let you know to be prepared always, go on the market and do your half. That’s one factor that I really like about Steph. She believes in each single particular person. She trusts us it doesn’t matter what.”
Beneath White’s steering, level guard Odyssey Sims has flourished. Sims, who signed with the Fever simply over a month in the past after accidents ravaged the workforce, tallied 16 factors, 8 assists, 3 steals, and, remarkably, 0 turnovers.
Her most important play? A heads-up go to Boston for the lay-up that finally gained the collection.
Sims, who was waived by the Los Angeles Sparks in July, has discovered her footing in Indiana, similar to each participant has appeared to upon becoming a member of the Fever.
Indiana’s journey isn’t over. As backup heart Brianna Turner wrote after the win, they didn’t come this far, to solely come this far.
Indiana will play the Las Vegas Aces within the subsequent spherical of the playoffs — yet one more collection during which they’ll be large underdogs. However, beneath the management of Stephanie White, they’ve proven they will’t be counted out.
