After an embarrassing loss in Game 1, the Indiana Fever's stars put up huge performances to help extend their season. In an 99-89, Game 2 victory, Caitlin Clark put up 27 points, 15 assists and 7 rebounds. Kelsey Mitchell added 26 and Aliyah Boston dropped 22 on 10-of-15 from the field. The pressure they applied on offense also helped sap energy from the Vegas stars and is one of the reasons A'ja Wilson wasn't able to dominate in the same way she did in Game 1.
This all sets up a winner-take-all Game 3 tonight in Vegas, with a second-round matchup against either the Valkyries or Wings on the line. And, as usual, the injury report raises some questions for the Fever.
Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston are probable for Game 3
Clark has been a standard inclusion on the injury report all season long, even though she's only missed four games. The Fever were punished earlier in the season for holding her out of a game when she had not been included on the injury report and since then they've listed her as probable every night.
Boston left the Fever's final regular season game after aggravating a leg injury. She was listed as questionable for Game 1 and probable for Game 2. She's played in both games and for a total of 55 minutes. She was phenomenal in Game 2 and absolutely appears ready for this one.
Despite being listed in the injury report, there's no reason to think either Clark or Boston will miss this one, or have to play reduced minutes.
Projected Indiana Fever starting lineup and rotation for Game 3
STARTER | POSITION | BENCH |
|---|---|---|
Caitlin Clark | PG | Raven Johnson |
Kelsey Mitchell | SG | Sophie Cunningham |
Lexie Hull | SF | Myisha Hines-Allen |
Mikayla Timpson | PF | Monique Billings |
Aliyah Boston | C | Monique Billings |
The Fever should have the full rotation and it's been one of their only advantages on Las Vegas. The Clark-Mitchell-Hull-Timpson-Boston quartet has only played 14 minutes together in this series, outscoring the Aces by 3.3 points per 100 possessions. Swapping Cunningham in for Timpson has been a disaster and the Fever have been outscored by 21 points in the 52 minutes Cunningham has played in the series.
They'll need to rely heavily on Mitchell, Clark and Boston and limit their bench minutes in general. When they do go to the bench, it might be better to rely on Raven Johnson and Monique Billings, who have been much more effective, even in limited minutes. In the end though, the supporting cast just needs to hold the line. Mitchell, Clark and Boston simply have to outplay A'ja Wilson, Chelsea Gray and Jackie Young or their season will be coming to an end.
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