Fever Overtime Win Should Be Final Push Toward Starting Lineup Change
Monique Billings’s transition from the Golden State Valkyries to the Indiana Fever has been anything but smooth. Theoretically, an athletic two-way big who plays with as much energy as Billings should be a great fit on a Caitlin-Clark-led team. Billings had some good games, like a 15-point, 8-rebound performance against the New York Liberty, but has mostly been quiet, averaging 5.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1 assist.
At first glance, Myisha Hines-Allen’s impact looks very similar to that of Billings. She is averaging 4.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.3 assists, but her impact has been much greater than those numbers, prompting calls for Hines-Allen to take over for Billings in the starting lineup. Lineup data supports the idea.
The Fever’s starting lineup of Caitlin Clark, Kelsey Mitchell, Lexie Hull, Monique Billings, and Aliyah Boston logged a +/- of -5 over 64 total minutes—not great for a team hoping to compete for a title. That same lineup with Hines-Allen in place of Billings is +15 in 20 minutes.
Numbers don’t always tell the whole story, but Stephanie White now has another reason to consider switching up the starting lineup: She only played Billings 10 minutes in a close overtime win over the Chicago Sky, while Hines-Allen played 23 minutes, and she trusted her to close out the fourth quarter and play the entire overtime period.
Myisha Hines-Allen was very impactful in the Fever’s latest win
The main stories of the Fever’s 114-106 win are a blown 19-point lead and a historic performance from Aliyah Boston and Caitlin Clark. They became the first teammates to record 30-point double-doubles in the same game. Clark finished with 32 points, 7 rebounds, and 10 assists, and Boston put up 34 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 2 blocks.
Hines-Allen’s stat line pales compared to that—she finished with 5 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 block—but she also finished the game with a team-high +/- of +25, making a massive impact in her minutes.
Billings, meanwhile, wasn’t much of a factor in her 10 minutes on the court. She grabbed two offensive rebounds, which is big, and dished out one assist, but didn’t take a single shot and was a -2 in her time on the court.
Changing up the starting lineup 12 games into the season is tricky. The Fever are just starting to find their rhythm and build chemistry. Replacing a starter could mess with that. At the same time, however, it could help the Fever fulfill their potential. Hines-Allen has been a better fit with the other four starters, and Stephanie White likes what the duo of her and Boston can do as passers.
“She’s also a ball-mover,” White said about Hines-Allen in the postgame media availability, per the Fever’s YouTube channel, “so when you have her and AB on the floor together, you have multiple bigs who can move the ball.”
Billings is an energy player. She has never been a full-time starter before this season. Acting as a boost off the bench might be in her best interest, too.
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Elaine Blum covers women’s basketball for On SI from Europe. She has been writing about women's hoops since 2023 and holds a Bachelor’s degree in English and Journalism and a master’s degree in American Studies with a focus on women’s and gender studies. She started playing basketball when she was 10 years old and won several league and state championships at the youth and senior level.