Fever vs. the refs continues to be one of the WNBA's most compelling rivalries

The WNBA playoffs are rolling on, with the semifinals already one game in.

The playoffs have been nothing short of enthralling, especially as the Indiana Fever took homecourt advantage by beating the Las Vegas Aces on the road 89-73 to take a 1-0 lead. The semifinals are a best-of-five series.

The Fever did so with six players on their injury report, including star Caitlin Clark. The Fever have also been without Sophie Cunningham and Sydney Colson for some time as well.

Clark may not be playing, but she's still making an impact.

Clark, who has been sidelined since July with a groin injury, said she was fined $200 for Instagram comments she made after Indiana's 77-60 win over the Atlanta Dream in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series.

The post featured photos of the Fever bench celebrating the win, to which Clark replied, "Elite bench mob" and "Refs couldn’t stop us."

The comment irked the WNBA, which has been facing criticism about its officiating throughout the regular season.

"Got fined $200 for this lol," Clark posted on X. "BENCH MOB WILL BE EVEN MORE ROWDY TOMORROW LETS GOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

The Fever have been criticizing the officials all season long

Clark’s post elicited a sarcastic response from Cunningham, who has also tussled with refs. She has been fined three times this season due to her criticisms.

She was fined $500 for a July 2025 TikTok criticizing referees and a $1,500 fine in August 2025 for her comments on her podcast, "Show Me Something," regarding officiating during a Paige Bueckers game.

She most recently suggested that Bueckers, the Rookie of the Year, gets "every freaking whistle" and also called out the "inconsistency" of officiating this season.

Colson has also critiized the refs and their treatment of Fever players.

During All-Star Weekend, WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert acknowledged the frustration across the league with officiating.

"It’s something we need to continue to work on. As our game has evolved, so does our officiating. So we’re on it," she said.

After Clark went out with a groin injury in July — and was eventually ruled out for the rest of the season — many looked to the refs.

When asked in July after Clark left the game about the physical play Clark faces on a nightly basis, Indiana coach Stephanie White responded that "there's a level of physicality that they're able to play with against her."

"I knew it as an opponent, and I see it as her coach," White said. "I'm not exactly sure why, but it just is what it is, and we've got to help her learn to adjust and use it against them in certain ways. We've got to find some ways to make it a little bit easier for her. But the level of physicality overall in our league has been at a different level than it's been for a long time."

With Clark’s fine and Cunningham’s comments top of mind, is it the Fever vs. the refs still in these semifinals?

One Reddit-er seems to think so, noting Lexie Hull getting pushed down in front of the ref in Game 1. The Aces will look to even the series at home on Tuesday night.

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