Monique Billings Defines What Makes the Fever's Culture 'Fun'
The Indiana Fever bounced back quickly against a depleted Los Angeles Sparks squad, and they found ways to do it without Caitlin Clark in the lineup.
The Fever came out fast and never really let up the entire game, sprinting their way to a 111-87 victory. The Sparks were without star guard Kelsey Plum and also took a massive hit in the frontcourt with the absence of Cameron Brink. Indiana took full advantage of the Sparks missing pieces and porous defense, with four of their five starters finishing the contest in double figures.
Kelsey Mitchell finished with 26 points, Aliyah Boston added 17, and the Fever got a boost from Tyasha Harris, who chipped in 16 points in 30 minutes in just her second start filling in for Clark due to the latter's back injury.
The Fever's 11th win of the season brought a certain kind of fast, loose energy, and they can now go into a week-long break on a high note. Monique Billings, who added 15 points of her own, described the team's comradery and what continues to drive them forward.
"Yeah, winning is fun so, it was a lot of fun. It felt like we all felt pretty free out there. It's nice knowing your teammates want each other to win," Billings said.
"Everyone being able to get in the game today, make an impact, be ready when their number's called, being able to celebrate each other, that's what this team is about," she added.
The Fever needed to quickly get back in the win column before meeting strong competition over the coming weeks, and they clearly found joy in the process.
Monique Billings Has Found Her Stride
The Fever signing Billings could still turn out to be one of their best off-season acquisitions. She's been one of the Fever's strongest rotational pieces of late. Her production has seen an upward trend, especially over the last three games, where she has shot an efficient 12-of-16 from the field. This stretch includes a 14-point,10-rebound double-double performance against the Phoenix Mercury back on June 22.
The ninth-year veteran has acknowledged some early growing pains stating that it's been about "consistency and trusting the process," all while giving herself "grace" that has allowed her to fit her role and find her identity with a new team.
After a slow start, she's seen her points per game average climb steadily to a career-high rate. Her athleticism and penchant to dominate on the glass consistently has given the Fever numerous second chance opportunities. This has shown itself specifically in the box score versus Los Angeles.
Against the Sparks, the Fever were more efficient during Billings' 22 minutes on the floor, posting a +38 during that time, which is the best individual mark for a player during a game in franchise history.
The Fever outscored the Sparks by 38 points over the 22 minutes that @moniquebillings played on Saturday.
— John Nolan (@John_G_Nolan) June 28, 2026
+38 is a new single-game franchise record!
(The previous record was +36, set by @annadeforge in a 2006 game against New York. Credit to Fever PR for the research.) https://t.co/aLvA7zMgsL
One of Billings' strongest attributes is that she's a mature pro, so it was only a matter of time before she would finally discover her rightful place as a key member of the Fever.
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Lindsay Burke covers women’s basketball for Indiana Fever On SI and Women’s Fastbreak On SI. She graduated from Purdue University Fort Wayne with a Bachelor's Degree in journalism and a minor in media production. Early in her career she covered ECHL hockey, the NFL and college football and has since expanded her expertise to the WNBA and the Fever franchise.
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