The Indiana Fever are currently 18-16 and sit seventh in the overall WNBA standings. That’s quite the feat, considering the injuries the team has had to fight this year.
Caitlin Clark has missed 21 of the team’s 34 regular season games this year with a litany of various injuries. Aari McDonald and Sydney Colson both went down with season-ending injuries last week in Phoenix. And Sophie Cunningham was banged up earlier in the season, causing her to miss some time. Despite the injuries and different players in and out of the lineup, the Fever are right there in the playoff hunt.
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In the WNBA, the top eight teams make the playoffs, regardless of conference affiliation. With 10 regular season games remaining, the Fever are 1.5 games ahead of ninth-place, held by the Los Angeles Sparks. So while Indiana has a playoff spot currently, they’re far away from any guarantees of playoff basketball. And they have a tough schedule to deal with.
Michael Voepel of ESPN put together a list of the 10 most important games left on the WNBA schedule for the playoff race, and two of Indiana’s remaining 10 games made the list.
Which remaining Fever games are the most important, according to ESPN?
Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham (8) high-fives Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell (0) on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, during the game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
The first game ESPN circled on the Fever’s calendar was on Sept. 2, when they play at the Phoenix Mercury. They explained the reason behind the importance of this particular game.
We don’t know when Caitlin Clark (groin) might return. Despite her absence and the double whammy of losing fellow guards Aari McDonald and Sydney Colson to season-ending injuries last week, the Fever are hanging in. They will open September with this game in Phoenix. Will Clark be back or on the verge of a return? Indiana and Phoenix split their first two meetings, so this one will settle the series. – Voepel.
The second game that ESPN noted as being super important for the Fever is their season finale on Sept. 9, when they host the league-leading Minnesota Lynx. That will be the third time in the final 10 games that the Fever play the Lynx.
This will conclude the regular season for the Fever. (The Lynx will finish two days later against the visiting Golden State Valkyries.) Might Clark be back on court by this point? The Fever are in the middle of the playoff pack, which is impressive considering all they have been through with injuries. This game could mean something for Indiana’s playoff position. – Voepel.
While there’s no doubt both of these games are super important for the Fever, all 10 of their remaining games are huge for their playoff hopes. Caitlin Clark seems like she’ll return at some point, but for now, it’s up to Kelsey Mitchell, Aliyah Boston, and the rest of the team to win some games and secure playoff basketball for Indiana. It’s going to be a fun and stressful next few weeks for Fever fans.
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This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Pair of Indiana Fever games among most important remaining WNBA dates
