The Indiana Fever pulled off a stunning 87-85 victory in Game 3 of their first-round playoff series against the Atlanta Dream to send the top team in the Eastern Conference home for the offseason. Making the win even more impressive is the fact that the Fever managed to take down the Dream without their best player, Caitlin Clark.
After a standout rookie campaign with the Fever last year, Clark only suited up in 13 games this season before eventually being ruled out for the year due to a slew of injuries. However, Indiana has continued to push forward without her, and after their big win, Clark issued a simple two-word message on social media.
Caitlin Clark Praises Stephanie White After Fever’s Big Win
The 2025 campaign has been a bit of a roller coaster ride for the Fever. Entering the year, the expectation was that they would take a big step forward after getting bounced in the first round of the playoffs last year. With a star duo in Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston leading the way, and a solid supporting cast around them, there was reason to believe Indiana could be one of the top teams in the league.
As noted above, though, Clark struggled to stay on the court, and even when she played, she wasn’t able to develop any sort of consistency. That resulted in Boston and Kelsey Mitchell having to take on larger roles, and they ended up helping the Fever secure the No. 6 seed in the playoff picture, which drew them a first-round matchup with the Dream.
Considering how solid Atlanta had been throughout the season, Indiana wasn’t given much of a shot to win this series. After falling in a quick 0-1 deficit, the Fever rattled off a pair of wins to advance to the semifinals, even though they are missing their best player. While everyone on the team deserves credit for the Fever’s gritty performance, Clark chose to praise head coach Stephanie White for her work with the team in her absence.
“STEPHANIE WHITE !!!!!!!!!!!” Clark simply said in a post on X after Indiana’s Game 3 victory.
Fever Draw Semifinals Matchup with Aces
GettyCaitlin Clark had some high praise for Stephanie White after she led the Fever past the Dream in their first-round playoff series
In her first year back with the Fever, White has helped the team remain competitive, even without Clark on the floor. Leaning on Mitchell as the team’s top scorer, while also getting Boston involved on both ends of the floor, has been critical. She’s also gotten a ton from veterans like Natasha Howard and Odyssey Sims, which has helped offset the loss of Clark.
Next up, Indiana will have a matchup with Las Vegas, and while they were given a run for their money by the Seattle Storm, it’s clear that the Fever are going to have their hands full in this series. Game 1 of this series is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, and all eyes will be on Indiana to see if they can pull off another shocking upset to advance to the 2025 WNBA Finals.
Caitlin Clark Sends 2-Word Message After Indiana Fever Win Playoff Series