Indiana Fever Ramp Up Caitlin Clark and Playoff Optimism
The vibes were good in Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Tuesday night. Not only did the Indiana Fever dispatch of the Seattle Storm in a statement performance, but they did so on a day that saw the franchise celebrate superstar Caitlin Clark's new signature Nike logo.
Of course, Clark remained sidelined for the contest. And the longer she has been out, with other injuries piling up, the more it seemed like the 2025 WNBA season may slip away from the Fever.
However, amid the win over the Storm came renewed optimism about the team's playoff chances and more positive news that Clark's return could be on the horizon.
A win on her logo drop date is the only way to do it! Right..?🤭 https://t.co/ID8x7LSuJB
— LIQUID | Aerial Powers (@aerial_powers23) August 27, 2025
Let's begin with the significance of the win. Anxiety had begun to set in surrounding the team's hold on postseason positioning following back-to-back losses to the Minnesota Lynx. But the pendulum swung completely in the other direction against Seattle.
Not only did the Fever pick up the victory, they did so while dropping a competitor in the standings. In addition, the Los Angeles Sparks also lost, meaning Indiana moved up from 8th to 6th while putting more cushion between them and the closest team on the outside looking in.
Today was an excellent day for the Indiana Fever’s playoff hopes.
— Pat Boylan Fever/Pacers (@PatBoylanPacers) August 27, 2025
Start of the day:
8th seed
1 game up on 9th
End of the day:
6th seed
2 games up on 9th
This as they made the aforementioned losses to the Lynx look better in retrospect—considering Indiana was able to hang tough with the best team in the league.
All in all, the blowout of Seattle went a long way toward solidifying the Fever a playoff berth and ensuring the squad will be rewarded for the fight and resilience it has shown through adversity all season.
Caitlin Clark Progresses in on Court Work Toward Return
Not lost in the celebratory nature of the evening was what Fever head coach Stephanie White had to say about Clark's return progress before the contest.
White revealed that the star point guard once again participated in the team's walk through and added that a test of Clark's endurance in practices is the next step toward clearance.
"I want to see her continue to work to not just build endurance, but to be able to handle contact, 94 feet, as it's going to be in-game. And to be able to do that and sustain from an endurance standpoint. And that's going to take multiple practices to make sure that there's no regression. And as most of us know, as we get fatigued, we look different. And see how she plays through fatigue," White stated.
Caitlin Clark participated in the team's walk-through before a second straight game.
— Scott Agness (@ScottAgness) August 26, 2025
Stephanie White wants to see her in live practice sessions, build endurance, handle contact & more: pic.twitter.com/blQFcQ4gMu
And while actual team practice time is fleeting, White indicated Indiana can replicate those situations as Clark continues her ramp up.
When (and if) Clark returns to game action remains to be seen, but her teammates bought her even more time in handling the Storm. And in the process, kept both the Fever's playoff aspirations and hope alive.
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Robin Lundberg is a media veteran and hoops head who has spent the bulk of his career with iconic brands like Sports Illustrated and ESPN. His insights have also been featured on platforms such as Fox and CNN and he can currently be heard hosting shows for Sirius XM and on his popular YouTube channel. And now he brings his basketball expertise to Women's Fastbreak On SI and Indiana Fever On SI!
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