WNBA playoff odds: Can the Indiana Fever sneak their way in?

The Indiana Fever are one of the youngest teams in the WNBA but they entered this season with playoffs hopes nonetheless. Youth and inexperience were barriers but they had a roster loaded with talent — NaLyssa Smith (the No. 2 pick in the 2022 WNBA Draft), Aliyah Boston (last year's No. 1 pick and the reigning Rookie of the Year) and rookie sensation Caitlin Clark, the No. 1 pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft.

However, an extremely rocky start pushed the Fever to the bottom of the league standings and made the playoffs look like a pipe dream. They lost eight of their first nine games, five of those by double-digits, while getting outscored by an average of 15.6 points per 100 possessions, the worst mark in the league over that stretch but a huge margin.

But the Fever are really starting to turn things around. Since that initial cold streak, they've won five of seven. Their defense is still struggling but they've pushed their offensive efficiency into respectable territory, Boston and Clark are building a powerful synergy and, according to ESPN's WNBA Power Index, the playoffs no longer seem like a total longshot.

WNBA playoff odds, per ESPN

Eight teams make the WNBA playoffs and, if the season ended today, the Fever would be in as the No. 8 seed. According to ESPN's odds, five teams are already virtual locks and two more — the Mercury and Dream are pretty darn close. If that all holds, it means the Fever just need to hold off the Sky, Wings and Sparks for the final spot.

The Fever are already 2-0 against the Sky this season, their next matchup is coming this weekend and is basically a can't miss game given the drama of the first two. They'll play again on Aug. 30. The Fever have already split with the Sparks and play LA just one more time this season, on Sept. 4. They have yet to play the Wings but have three games on the schedule — one in July and would could be two crucial matchups in mid-September.

The tough news for the Fever is that their schedule is still loaded with matchups against the top teams. Of the 24 games they have left to play this season, 10 are against those five teams with 99.9 percent odds of making the playoffs. Six more will come against the Mercury and Dream who are immediately ahead of them in the standings.

All that is to say, the playoffs are a realistic possibility for the Fever but they can't afford to take their foot off the gas pedal at any point. Their schedule does them no favors and the teams just below them in the standings are ready to take advantage of any slip-ups.