Caitlin Clark’s Uncertain Return Casts Shadow Even as Insider Calls Fever’s Playoff Spot ‘Not Up for Debate’

With the top four spots already locked, and New York (99.9) and Seattle (98.6) all but claiming the other two, the battle remains for the final two spots. Golden State (97.7), Los Angeles (6.4), and Indiana (97.4) are the final three contenders remaining. According to Tankathon, which keeps tabs on the “how hard is this schedule?” meter, the Fever have lucked into the easiest path among teams sitting 6-9 in the standings. Seattle still has to face Golden State and Los Angeles, so at least one of those games has to go sideways for someone. The bottomline being that Indiana probably just needs one more win to lock in a postseason spot. However, they would be wise to try for a couple more.

“It’s not about the playoff spot itself as much as it is the playoff seating,” Lundberg further warned Stephanie White and Co. And yes, Fever would need to win multiple to avoid the eighth-seed fate they are currently facing. The reason? The top-seeded Minnesota Lynx will be waiting for them in the very first round. “The Fever faces a lot of questions. Where are they going to fall in the playoff standings? Because they’re unlikely to fall out, but where do they fall? You don’t want to be in that eighth spot, which they currently occupy, because that means a date with the Minnesota Lynx, which means the season probably goes bye-bye.”

Aug 24, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) shakes hands with Indiana Fever forward Aliyah Boston (7) and Indiana Fever guard Lexie Hull (10) during a timeout against the Minnesota Lynx in the first half at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

Furthermore, the WNBA analyst also pointed out the major woe for Indiana. “And then there’s also the continued question about Caitlin Clark’s potential return status. Stephanie White had said she needed to see her in practice in order to clear her for a return. We’ve seen her in shootaround, but we don’t know if she’s practiced, and nobody’s asked. So that question remains unanswered, and they’re running out of runway to ramp Caitlin Clark up,” Lundberg said, focusing on how the Fever’s potential is drastically different depending on whether Clark is on the court.

Lundberg emphasized that, despite the rollercoaster of a season they’ve endured, the team’s ultimate trajectory remains uncertain, and it’s still too early to know exactly how things will unfold. But this uncertainty is a growing cause of discontent among the Indiana fans. And they have found their scapegoat in Stephanie White.

Analyst sets the record straight on White as Caitlin Clark remains out

When Stephanie White started her second stint with Fever, it was all sunshine and rainbows. The team was performing well, the new additions merged well, and the playoffs looked like a surefire thing. But since the injury bug bit Indiana, White won’t be calling it a warm homecoming anymore. Her strategies are being doubted, the way of handling Clark’s injury is being questioned, and the team is adding new players every week to replace old ones.

Amidst all this chaos, Lundberg has given White her flowers, claiming the Fever are posting a better record without Clark in 2025 than they did with her in 2024. “The Fever has a better record this year than they did last year. And that’s with Caitlin Clark missing essentially the entire season… They are still top six in the league in net rating. They’re seventh in defense and fourth in offense… Reality defends the coach of the Fever,” he said.

While doubts are there concerning the Fever’s head coach, the fact that the team has not dropped out of playoff berths despite losing four key players speaks volumes in her favor.

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