No. 9 Indiana’s early-season cohesion is raising concerns, after Saturday’s 100-84 drubbing by expansion side No. 6 Portland punctuated a two-game skid.

Star Fever guard Caitlin Clark scored just six points in the loss. She additionally picked up five fouls, highlighting backcourt frustrations on both sides of the ball.

“I just need to do a better job being straight up, keep the defender in front of me,” Clark said postgame. “But it’s just basketball. Just a game, you know? Learn from it, watch the film and come back next game and be ready to go.”

Back-to-back losses have exposed No. 9 Indiana’s defense. Thursday’s 90-88 loss to No. 5 Golden State laid the foundation for the No. 6 Fire’s triple-digit scoreline.

“We put a lot of pressure on our offense to be perfect when we don’t consistently defend,” Fever head coach Stephanie White said earlier this year. “We can’t wait to play defense in situations where we feel good.”

“Gotta be able to defend all of the time,” echoed Clark. “That’s our biggest area of growth.”

Where to Watch Indiana Fever vs Atlanta Dream WNBA Game

Indiana faces an even tougher test on Thursday, as the Fever takes on No. 2 Atlanta at 7 PM ET, live on Prime.

The Indiana Fever is facing early-season turbulence.

A viral video from the team's recent 16-point loss to recent WNBA expansion side Portland has some fans concerned. The footage shows a heated sideline exchange between superstar guard Caitlin Clark and head coach Stephanie White during the game's second quarter.

Thought Steph left her fire in Connecticut! 🥵 pic.twitter.com/meFefzUAAf

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Inside Clark and White's Tense Argument on the Bench

The Fever was down by double-digits when Clark and White were caught engaged in an animated discussion on the bench.

Some fans speculated White was pushing Clark, who struggled on both sides of the ball throughout the night, to shape up her defense. However, Clark pushed back. Shortly afterward, White called over guard Raven Johnson to sub in for the 2024 No. 1 draft pick.

But the viral argument wasn't the only source of frustration for the Fever in their latest loss on the road.

Clark's Rough Night Compounds Fever vs Fire Frustrations

White faced backlash early in the game after making a lineup change just three minutes into the first quarter. With Indiana leading early, White benched Clark, Aliyah Boston, and Lexie Hull, shifting the team's rhythm and setting the stage for Portland's comeback. The Fire capitalized on the open floor, closing out the first quarter on a 29-15 lead.

Postgame, White brushed off the criticism, explaining that the rotation was purely a proactive plan to manage player workloads. White noted that keeping her stars fresh over a long 44-game season requires strict minutes tracking.

When Clark was on the floor, she faltered, going 1-for-7 from the field with two rebounds and six assists. She found herself foul trouble on the defensive side, racking up five while failing to limit Portland's Carla Leite, who had 18 points and 12 assists by the final whistle.

Indiana now sits at 4-4 on the season with a chance to turn things around at home against the Atlanta Dream on Thursday. Portland, meanwhile, faces the Golden State Valkyries on Tuesday in San Francisco.

Caitlin Clark had a brief injury scare during the Indiana Fever's preseason loss to the Dallas Wings, but early signs suggest the knock wasn't serious.

Clark exited Thursday's game in the third quarter after a collision with Dallas forward Alanna Smith, leaving the floor after contact on a 3-point attempt. The play was later upgraded to a Flagrant 1 following a review.

The moment draws concern given Clark's recent injury history, but she quickly downplayed it in postgame interviews.

"I feel good. I just landed on my kneecap really hard," Clark said.  

The contact came during a physical stretch, with Clark subsequently limping toward the bench before being subbed out.

"I know there's a committee of people that really wanted them to start calling things, and I thought they did a great job of that," Clark said of the officiating.

"It's preseason, so you're probably going to see more fouls called. I expect that number to drop. But I think overall, it's going to improve the product."

Fever coach Stephanie White says the decision to take Clark out was a precautionary one.

"We had planned for her to come out about that time anyway," White said. "The plan was for her to start the third quarter and then get her out quickly."

White added that moments like that can be part of the process for a player returning from injury.

"Sometimes when you've come back from injury, depending on what the injury is, you gotta feel that a little bit first," she said. "You gotta be like, 'OK, yep, I can shake that one off."

Before exiting, Clark finished with 21 points and four assists in 16 minutes. She shot 4-of-6 from the field and 11-of-13 from the free-throw line in Indiana's 95-80 loss to Dallas.

Clark is coming off a 2025 season impacted by injuries, making any early health issues of great concern as the Fever prepare for the 2026 WNBA season.

USA Basketball dropped its 18-player December roster on Monday, selecting both standout vets and fresh faces for the national team's final training camp of 2025.

Taking place at Duke University from December 12th until the 14th, five 2024 Paris Olympic gold medalists — Kahleah Copper, Chelsea Gray, Brittney Griner, Kelsey Plum, and Jackie Young — will anchor the Team USA lineup.

Notably, a full 10 players will join the senior team for the first time next month, as young WNBA superstars like Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, Paige Bueckers, and Cameron Brink earn their first call-ups.

A pair of NCAA stars will also attend the December camp, with the national governing body tapping both UCLA senior center Lauren Betts and USC junior guard JuJu Watkins on the roster — though Watkins will not participate in on-court activities as she continues to rehab an ACL tear.

Along with the full camp roster, USA Basketball also dropped its December sideline leaders, with current WNBA head coaches Nate Tibbetts (Phoenix Mercury), Natalie Nakase (Golden State Valkyries), and Stephanie White (Indiana Fever) comprising the assistant coaching staff for the previously announced senior national team head coach Kara Lawson.

December's camp is the team's first step toward the World Cup qualifiers in March, when the US will compete despite having already qualified for the 2026 FIBA World Cup by winning the 2025 FIBA AmeriCup in July.

Overall, the clock starts now for USA women's basketball managing director Sue Bird, who is in charge of cultivating the best team for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

The USA Basketball December Training Camp Roster

WNBA officiating is once again taking center stage, with multiple head coaches reportedly issued fines after criticizing referee conduct in the weekend's playoff action.

Minnesota head coach Cheryl Reeve earned an ejection and suspension for attempting to confront referees during the Lynx's Game 3 semifinals loss on Friday, with the WNBA later handing her a $15,000 fine for lambasting officials in her postgame interview.

"The officiating crew that we had tonight, for the leadership to deem those three people semifinals playoff worth is f—ing malpractice," Reeve told reporters last Friday.

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Following Reeve's suspension, Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White and Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon voiced public support for Reeve and her concerns, with sources saying they each received a $1,000 fine for their comments.

"[Reeve] made a lot of valid points," White said on Sunday. "A lot of the same kind of conversations are happening. It's happening from every team, from every franchise, from every coach, from every player."

"From what I heard, she did not tell a lie," Hammon said of Reeve. "She said the truth. I think something has to change."

Officiating problems aren't new for the WNBA, but as the league's popularity explodes, refereeing disparities are now under an unprecedented spotlight.

"Every part of our league has gotten better, and that part has lagged behind, for whatever reason," White continued. "Oftentimes, it's infrastructure in terms of training, oftentimes, it's financial. And it's really investing in who we have as officials.... How do we keep them growing and getting better?"

The No. 6 Indiana Fever claimed the first series upset in the 2025 WNBA Playoffs on Thursday, ousting the No. 3 Atlanta Dream with an 87-85 Game 3 win to book the franchise's first trip to the semifinals since 2015.

Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell stole the show once again, scoring a game-high 24 points while Indiana finished off the come-from-behind victory on a 7-0 run.

"I can't put it in words," said Fever forward Natasha Howard postgame. "I'm just speechless right now, just how we fought through this whole game."

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The win showcased Indiana's latent scrappiness, with the Fever forced to get crafty this year after multiple season-ending injuries coincided with midseason roster shakeups.

"This group is just really special," said Indiana head coach Stephanie White. "It's the resilience, the flexibility, the welcoming, inclusive nature of this team, their selflessness to pull for the 'we' over the 'me,' the ability to let each teammate be who they are and shine at their best and to lift them up."

"I give Indiana a lot of credit," Atlanta boss Karl Smesko added. "They fought all the way to the last seconds and, unfortunately, they were able to make the final play."

How to watch the Indiana Fever in the 2025 WNBA semifinals

Also punching their ticket on Thursday were the Fever's 2025 WNBA semifinals opponents, the Las Vegas Aces.

No. 6 Indiana will tip off their best-of-five semifinals series against No. 2 Las Vegas at 3 PM ET on Sunday, airing live on ABC.

The injury-riddled No. 6 Indiana Fever put on a show in their first home postseason game since 2016 on Tuesday night, handing the No. 3 Atlanta Dream a 77-60 defeat to force a deciding Game 3 in the first round of the 2025 WNBA Playoffs.

"This group has continued to show their heart and their character, night in and night out," said Fever head coach Stephanie White post-game.

Indiana guard Kelsey Mitchell led the charge once again, scoring a game-high 19 points to extend the Fever's playoff campaign.

The win marked Indiana's first postseason victory in nine years, as the Fever hopes to exceed expectations and make a deep playoff run despite carrying a lengthy injury report.

"Our backs were definitely against the wall in this, and we know that we've just been through so much this season," Fever center Aliyah Boston told reporters after Tuesday's victory. "Coming out with this win and then giving ourselves another chance in Game 3 — emotions are high."

How to watch the Indiana Fever vs. Atlanta Dream in Game 3

The No. 6 Indiana Fever will travel back to Atlanta to battle the No. 3 Dream in the 2025 WNBA Playoffs' first-round winner-take-all Game 3 on Thursday.

The teams will tip off at 7:30 PM ET, with live coverage on ESPN2.

With their backs against the wall, the No. 6 Indiana Fever will face down both the No. 3 Atlanta Dream and potential elimination from the 2025 WNBA Playoffs when they host their first home postseason game in nearly a decade on Tuesday night.

"I think you give yourself an edge as the home team. When they punched us, they punched us hard," Indiana guard Kelsey Mitchell said after Sunday's 80-68 loss in Atlanta. "So we have to do the same thing."

"I would like to think that being back at home can kind of give us a sense of comfort, so hopefully we could use it for what it's worth and not take it for granted," she continued.

Mitchell will likely be the key to the Fever's survival, after an onslaught of season-ending injuries forced the three-time WNBA All-Star to step up as a scoring leader — with Mitchell dropping a postseason career-high 27 points in Sunday's Game 1.

"It's a lot of little things," said Indiana head coach Stephanie White following the weekend result. "I like where we are, I'm proud of our group for continuing to fight, and we're going to be better on Tuesday."

How to watch Atlanta vs. Indiana in the 2025 WNBA Playoffs

No. 6 Indiana will tip off against No. 3 Atlanta in Game 2 of the 2025 WNBA Playoffs at 7:30 PM ET on Tuesday, with live coverage airing on ESPN.

Just one ticket to the 2025 WNBA Playoffs remains, with the No. 7 Indiana Fever clinching their second straight postseason trip in a 94-65 win over the No. 10 Washington Mystics on Sunday.

Forward Natasha Howard led a balanced offensive effort for the Fever, with five players scoring in the double-digits to secure Indiana's first back-to-back playoff appearance since 2016.

"We never doubted ourselves," Indiana center Aliyah Boston said postgame. "We never doubted that we could be in the playoffs, even if things looked like it got harder."

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With five Indiana players suffering season-ending injuries this year — including superstar Caitlin Clark — a season that was projected to finish in a deep playoff run seemed initially derailed as the team battled mounting adversity.

"With all the stuff that we've been through, most teams would have folded, and we just kept getting stronger," head coach Stephanie White said. "These women in the locker room deserve a lot of credit for their ability to stay resilient, to stay together, to stay hungry, and to stay the course."

As for the eighth and final spot in the 2025 WNBA Playoffs, both the No. 8 Seattle Storm and the No. 9 LA Sparks are still in the mix, with this week's WNBA slate set to determine a winner.

Seattle has the most control of their destiny, needing a win in their final game to book a postseason ticket, while the Sparks must walk away with victories in both of their final two games plus see the Storm falter in order to snag a playoff spot.

How to watch the deciding games in the 2025 WNBA Playoffs race

The No. 8 Seattle Storm will close out their 2025 regular season by hosting the No. 6 Golden State Valkyries at 10 PM ET on Tuesday, airing live on WNBA League Pass.

Meanwhile, the No. 9 LA Sparks must get past the No. 4 Mercury in Phoenix at 10 PM ET on Tuesday before hosting the league's final regular-season game on Thursday: a 10 PM ET showdown against the currently unbeatable No. 2 Las Vegas Aces.

Both of the Sparks' final two games will air live on NBA TV.

The No. 6 Indiana Fever are still in control of their playoff destiny, taking down the No. 8 Seattle Storm 95-75 behind star center Aliyah Boston's dominant 27-point performance on Tuesday night.

Also helping to offset Indiana's slate of high-profile injuries were guards Kelsey Mitchell and midseason hardship signee Odyssey Sims, who combined for 43 points in Tuesday's win.

"Every game at this point in the season is huge, and this one was a big one for us," said Fever head coach Stephanie White afterwards. "We knew that we had to come out and show some urgency."

"Going into this game, we talked about how this is a big game for us and an important game for us considering the standings," echoed Boston. "This is a great win for us before we head on the road."

After losing multiple guards to season-ending injuries this month, Indiana entered Tuesday's matchup having lost six of their last eight games as they await the return of sidelined superstar Caitlin Clark.

"[Boston] has been the one that's been most affected by all of our injuries, all of the point guards who can get her the ball," White continued. "She set the tone for us on both ends."

As for Seattle, Tuesday's loss dropped the Storm to eighth in the WNBA standings, sitting just above the postseason cutoff line with the No. 9 LA Sparks hot on their heels.

"There's no excuse for what happened today other than not matching the energy of the other team," said Seattle forward Nneka Ogwumike, who led her squad's scoring with 17 points on Tuesday.

How to watch the Indiana Fever, Seattle Storm this week

No. 6 Indiana hits the road this weekend, taking on No. 9 LA at 10 PM ET on Friday on ION before facing the No. 7 Golden State Valkyries at 8:30 PM ET on Sunday, with live coverage airing on NBA TV.

An uphill battle is on deck for No. 8 Seattle as the Storm gear up for an 8 PM ET clash against the league-leading Minnesota Lynx on Thursday, airing live on WNBA League Pass.