Why this year is different for the Indiana Fever
The Indiana Fever improved to 4–3 after they defeated the Dallas Wings on June 13. In 2018, it took the Fever 27 games to pick up their fourth win. That’s why several people who have been around the team for a few years say this year feels different.
One of those is third-year forward (and talented rapper) Erica McCall, who was drafted by the Fever in 2017. The Fever went 9–25 during McCall’s first season. Then they finished 6–28 in 2018.
“Just the way we’ve all come together [this year], it’s been very different,” McCall said before the Fever hosted Chicago on June 15. “From the locker room to on the court, it’s just been a lot more positive energy and it’s just helping us carry on in games. Even when we’re down, we’re able to fight back.”
Before the Fever hosted Chicago on June 15, McCall talked about why her team has been able to win a few games in 2019 that would have been losses the last two years.
“You had that [resilience] last year, but it’s just at a different level [this year],” McCall said. “And that’s something we discussed before the season as something we needed to have and the ability that we’re able to show it now is incredible.”
The Fever weren’t resilient enough to defeat the Chicago Sky on Saturday. The 70–64 loss dropped them to 4–4 on the season, but it did not affect their confidence.
After the game, players said they simply missed open shots that they normally make. The Fever had a season-worst 33.3% shooting percentage and a season-low 64 points. They plan to clean up a few defensive breakdowns and keep taking shots they normally make to get back in the win column Wednesday in Atlanta.
“I don’t think our morale is down,” guard Tiffany Mitchell said. “A lot of these games that we lost, we should have won and could have won. So that’s a good thing about it. We know we have enough in this locker room. We’re not down on ourselves. We know we have a good team and when we see these teams again, I think it will be a different story.”
Here are five reasons why the Fever are feeling confident after eight games.
Reason #1 — They are learning how to win close games
Last year, Indiana started the season with 10 straight losses, the last seven by single digits. This year’s team is 2–3 in games decided by single digits. They opened 2019 with an 81–80 victory at New York thanks to a buzzer-beater by rookie Teaira McCowan. On June 13, they withstood a fourth-quarter comeback by the Dallas Wings to win 76–72. The Wings stepped up the defensive pressure in that fourth quarter, but the Fever hit some timely shots and got a few key stops down the stretch.
During training camp, forward Natalie Achonwa said her team would be better in close games this year because of the experience her young teammates gained last year and during a season overseas. Before the Chicago game, Achonowa said that experience is translating into a toughness that has helped them finish close games.
“We want to play that gritty, blue-collar, down-in-the-slums basketball,” said Achonwa, who is in her fifth WNBA season. “We want to make sure that we’re really focusing on doing the intangibles, getting on the floor, hustling, and playing defense.”
Reason #2 — Dramatic improvement on offense and defense
Last year, the Fever were the worst team in the league in shooting percentage and opponents’ shooting percentage. As of June 17, they ranked second in field goal percentage (44.2%) and second in opponents’ shooting percentage (39.7%).
Betnijah Laney was signed in February primarily for her defense. She is tied for second in the WNBA with 2.0 steals per game. Teammates say Laney’s intensity on the defensive end is contagious.
The Fever’s improved defense has helped them get stops at key times. With 1:39 left in the game at Dallas, Indiana was clinging to a four-point lead when Dallas had possession. Achonwa stole the ball at the top of the key and was fouled. She made two foul shots, then Kelsey Mitchell hit a three to give the Fever a solid cushion to close out the game.
“The difference [this year] is the defense,” guard Erica Wheeler said before the Chicago game. “That’s the key thing for us. When we play good defense, it’s hard for teams to beat us and we’re going to stay in close games if we play good defense.”
Reason #3 — Several players are stepping up
The Fever have multiple players who can hit a big shot down the stretch. Guard Kelsey Mitchell is leading the team in scoring (15.8 points per game) and is the Fever’s most dangerous scoring threat. She has the ability to score from anywhere on the court, as you can see in this clip.
If Mitchell is having an off shooting night, the Fever have plenty of other players who can score. Through eight games, five different players have led the team in scoring in a game (Kelsey Mitchell, Tiffany Mitchell, Achonwa, Wheeler, and Candice Dupree). Those five players average more than 10 points per game. Rookie Kennedy Burke has also provided solid scoring with 8.8 points per game.
“It really is nice,” coach Pokey Chatman said when asked about her team’s balanced scoring. “We’ve talked to this team about, ‘It’s going to take all of us, and there are enough of us.’ I think through these first seven games, you’ve seen that.”
Reason #4 — Dupree is an awesome leader
Only four of Indiana’s players have been in the WNBA for more than three seasons. That’s why forward Candice Dupree, who’s playing her 14th WNBA season, has been such a vital part of this team. In addition to her consistent scoring (11.5 points per game) and rebounding (7.1 per game), several young players have spoken about how much they have learned from the savvy vet.
One of those young players is Kelsey Mitchell, who was the 2nd overall pick in the 2018 draft. On June 11, the Fever lost 84–82 at home to Seattle. With 24 seconds left, Mitchell took the inbounds pass with Indiana down by a point. She juked her defender and created enough space to fire up a three-pointer with 12 seconds left, but missed. Seattle got the rebound and hung on to win. After the game, Mitchell talked about what Dupree taught her when she is in that type of situation in the future.
“She’s the GOAT [Greatest Of All Time],” Mitchell said of Dupree. “She knows what it takes to win. She even told me after I shot the three towards the end of the game, she said, ‘Next time, drive. It wasn’t a bad shot, but you’re going to be ok.’ Stuff like that reiterates who she is. She’s a great person and a great player.”
Reason #5 — Promising rookies
Teaira McCowan — The third overall pick has provided the interior defense that Indiana sorely lacked a year ago. Chatman has often talked about McCowan’s ability to alter shots. McCowan is tied for sixth in the WNBA with 1.6 blocks per game. She is second on the Fever with 1.8 offensive rebounds per game even though she’s only played 14.3 minutes per game. Part of that has been due to foul trouble. Part of it is Chatman’s desire to bring her 6-foot-7 rookie center along slowly. Chatman is eager to see how McCowan responds when the Fever start playing teams for the second and third times. “As she goes through more of these teams [again] and starts to get a bead on the rhythm of the different players, then I think she’ll continue to be a positive impact for us,” Chatman said after the loss to Chicago.
Kennedy Burke — Chatman claimed Burke off waivers on May 25, which was three days after Dallas cut her. The versatile 6-foot-1 rookie out of UCLA can play several positions and has been a terrific addition. Burke scored 18 points in her third WNBA game against Phoenix on June 9. Two days later, she had 14 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals against Seattle. She played the entire fourth quarter in each game.
“[Burke is] big enough that if the shot clock is going down, she can one-two dribble, pull-up and shoot over someone. So she’s becoming a valuable piece for us,” Chatman said after the Seattle game.
There are lots of reasons for optimism in Indianapolis, but Achonwa reminds her young teammates to continuously strive to improve.
“It’s been great so far, but we’re never going to settle,” Achonwa said. “We’re never going to be happy with where we are at because we can always get better … so we’ll never be satisfied, but we’re definitely so many strides better than last year.”
The Fever hope to continue making strides and get back to the playoffs for the first time since 2016.
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