LA Sparks HC Sends Warning to Injury-Riddled Indiana Fever After Praising Stephanie White

The Indiana Fever has no business still standing in the playoff race, or so it seemed. A season ravaged by injuries should have buried its hopes weeks ago. Caitlin Clark is sidelined, the backcourt depth is wiped out, and rotations are stitched together with whatever is left or acquired through hardships. Yet somehow, Stephanie White’s squad is still hanging on to the sixth seed, refusing to fold when the pressure is highest. As White said, “We will never be counted out because that is worth f—– gold.” Well, this is crunch time for the Fever–every win matters, and every loss can set the team back by a lot. But their next stop is the Crypto.com Arena, and we’ve seen that story unfold a million times this season.

Here’s an interesting fact: Los Angeles is on the verge of sweeping Indiana this season, being 3-0 against them so far. This is their fourth and final regular series game, and during the pre-game media availability, Roberts had a lot to say. “It’s a big game for them.” The LA head coach said, emphasizing the importance of this fixture. “I think both teams are fighting for their playoff life, and I’m sure both teams are saying we’ve gotta have this one.” 

And she’s right–a paperclip is holding the playoff race together. The difference between Los Angeles, which is the ninth-best team in the W, and the sixth-seeded Indiana is only 3 games. Both teams have their game faces on, and Lynne Roberts isn’t about to take White’s squad lightly. “I’ve been very impressed with Indiana. They’ve had a lot of mercy with injuries. I think they’re coaching their asses off and they’re competing really hard right now,” she said, praising the opponents. She even addressed the biggest question making rounds in everyone’s heads.

 

This is a big game for both teams. Fever need to put the foot on the gas and not let the Sparks get the . Sparks game plan is to be more physical with the Fever and so we need to be prepared. Sparks coach doesn’t expect CC to play. pic.twitter.com/aoumZKBhZB

— ericaf455 (@ericaf455) August 28, 2025

We’ve been hearing word about the Fever superstar making her return to the hardwood floor, especially since she started participating in non-contact practice, but the Sparks HC was not convinced. Interestingly enough, Roberts outright said that the team had not planned for Caitlin Clark’s return. “We have not planned for her playing. We have in the past, so we’ll have those game plans ready.” 

But what Roberts emphasized was a desire for her team to be more physical. “We’ve gotta play a little more physical, a little more edge defensively,” she said, indicating her intent to use up more of the personal fouls available, and encourage her players to play with more contact and freedom. But Indiana is used to that! They don’t shy away from contact, and they don’t run when times get tough–their latest win against the Seattle Storm is a testament to the fact.

Indiana Fever HC’s proud locker room moment reveals the team’s winning mentality

Do you have what it takes to win? The odds are against you, your back is up against the wall, can you muster up the courage to fight? Indiana, under Stephanie White’s leadership, proved that they have the killer mentality we’d expect from a contender. Even with a completely new and untested backcourt, the Fever fought hard to notch another win under their belt.

Aliyah Boston and Odyssey Sims were the stars of the night! The six-foot-five forward put up 27 points and 9 rebounds, while the newcomer had 22 points next to her name. And of course, how can we forget Kelsey Mitchell? We’ve been hearing MVP shouts about the five-foot-eight guard, and she backs it up each night. Kels ended up with 21 points on an efficient 50/50/100 split.

Aug 17, 2025; Uncasville, Connecticut, USA; Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White reacts with guard Odyssey Sims (1) from the sideline as they take on the Connecticut Sun at Mohegan Sun Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images

In the locker room, after the 95-75 victory, head coach Stephanie White had nothing but praise for her team’s dominating performance. “Really great stuff. That’s the most complete game we’ve put together in a long time. That was really good! We jumped on it from the beginning, we started and finished quarters, and then we took their hearts.” As I mentioned before, resilience is the theme for Indiana’s 2025 season.

Lexie Hull braving a head-on collision and every new signing’s determination show how dialed in the Fever really are. Stephanie White’s team is ready to push, compete, and head towards a championship. If Caitlin Clark manages to come back on time to get some reps before the playoffs, there’s no doubt that Indiana would be a team to watch out for. It will be interesting to see how Los Angeles deals with Indiana’s up-tempo offense.

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