ESPN Makes Telling Indiana Fever WNBA Playoff Prediction

ESPN assessed whether the Fever will be ousted out of the WNBA playoff picture.

Aug 1, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) during the game between the Dallas Wings and the Indiana Fever at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

As of August 21, the Indiana Fever have a 19-16 record in the 2025 WNBA regular season, which puts them at No. 6 in the standings.

While this seems like a pretty good place for the Fever to be, the standings are extremely tight overall, as only six games separate the No. 2 seed (New York Liberty) from the No. 10 seed (Washington Mystics), and there are only three games between Indiana and Washington.

Not to mention that the Fever have one of the most difficult remaining schedules, as they play the league-leading Minnesota Lynx (28-6) three times in their final nine games, including in their next two contests. And while it's still unclear when star guard Caitlin Clark is going to return from her groin injury, each passing day with no update on her status adds more skepticism that she's going to return at all this season.

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) reacts to a call from the referee Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, during the game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The Dallas Wings defeated the Indiana Fever, 81-80. | Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

ESPN Speaks on Indiana Fever's WNBA Playoff Hopes

ESPN released an August 21 article that assessed whether each WNBA contender can make the playoffs. For the Fever, the assessment they were pondering was whether "Injuries will finally catch up to Indiana and the Fever won't make the playoffs."

In answering this, ESPN's Alexa Philippou wrote, "The Fever certainly have their work cut out for them after losing a third guard to a season-ending injury when Sophie Cunningham tore her MCL on Sunday. But Indiana has shown a remarkable amount of resolve in the face of adversity, as evidenced by the Fever's franchise-record 21-point comeback win over Connecticut Sun this weekend.

"Indiana desperately needs Caitlin Clark back, but in the meantime must see newcomers Odyssey Sims and Shey Peddy, both of whom are experienced pros, step up in the backcourt. And the Fever still rely on Kelsey Mitchell and Aliyah Boston, two of the best players in the league, to lead the charge," she continued.

From a Fever spokesperson on Caitlin Clark: pic.twitter.com/EcL4VbvkKJ

— Tony East (@TonyREast) August 20, 2025

Philippou then revealed her verdict on the aforementioned assessment, in which she said the Fever missing the playoffs was, "Not real."

She then continued, "To miss the postseason, Indiana would have to really drop off down the stretch and see teams like the Sparks and Mystics catch fire over the next three weeks -- and neither group has looked particularly unstoppable.

"It won't be easy, and it might go down to the wire, but we project the Fever to still find a way to eke into the playoffs," Philippou concluded.

While Fever fans can take solace in ESPN thinking they'll make the playoffs, the bottom line is that there's no question their only hope of competing once they make it to the postseason is if Clark is back healthy and firing on all cylinders.