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Indiana Fever Season: Key Games, Player Injuries, and League Actions

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Fever Season Update: Wins, Injuries, and League Scrutiny

The Indiana Fever have navigated a turbulent stretch of the 2025–2026 WNBA season, mixing high-scoring battles with mounting concern over player safety and officiating consistency.

Game Results

Season Opener: Dallas Wings 107, Indiana Fever 104

Saturday, Gainbridge Fieldhouse

The Dallas Wings defeated the Indiana Fever 107-104 in the WNBA season opener. The game was the first in WNBA history where both teams scored more than 100 points.

Key scoring: Kelsey Mitchell (30 points), Aliyah Boston (23 points), Caitlin Clark (20 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds). For Dallas: Arike Ogunbowale (22 points), Paige Bueckers (20 points), Odyssey Sims (20 points). Azzi Fudd scored 3 points in 18 minutes.

Dallas shot 52% from three-point range (12 of 23) and outscored Indiana 25-12 in transition.

The game featured 53 total fouls (28 on Wings, 25 on Fever) under the WNBA's new emphasis on freedom of movement. With seven seconds remaining, Clark missed a three-pointer. After Bueckers missed two free throws, Mitchell missed a potential game-tying shot at the buzzer.

Washington Mystics 104, Indiana Fever 102 (Overtime)

Friday

The Washington Mystics defeated the Fever 104-102 in overtime.

Caitlin Clark scored a game-high 32 points, including 17 points in the fourth quarter and a game-tying three-pointer with 3.1 seconds left in regulation. She made five three-pointers in the fourth quarter.

Sonia Citron scored 30 points; Kiki Iriafen recorded 25 points and 13 rebounds for the Mystics. Shakira Austin scored 19 points; Cotie McMahon added 13 points.

The Fever made 17 three-pointers on 42 attempts but were outscored 48-28 in the paint. Aliyah Boston scored nine points but left the game with a lower leg injury in the third quarter. Indiana (1-2) missed two free throws in the last minute of overtime and a contested shot at the buzzer.

Indiana Fever 90, Portland Fire 73

Wednesday

Caitlin Clark did not play due to back stiffness.

The Fever won 90-73 against the Portland Fire. Aliyah Boston scored 24 points and had 8 rebounds.

Golden State Valkyries 90, Indiana Fever 88

Thursday night

The Fever lost to the Golden State Valkyries 90-88.

Caitlin Clark recorded 16 points, six assists, four rebounds, and three steals in 29 minutes. She shot 3-of-12 from the field and 2-of-6 from three-point range, and made all eight free-throw attempts.

Clark reached her 500th career assist in the second quarter, becoming the fastest player to achieve that milestone in WNBA history. Sophie Cunningham scored 11 points off the bench. Aliyah Boston missed a short shot with three seconds remaining.

Indiana Fever 83, Atlanta Dream 71 (Commissioner's Cup)

Thursday night

The Fever won 83-71 against the Atlanta Dream, opening the WNBA Commissioner's Cup tournament.

Kelsey Mitchell scored 11 consecutive points during a third-quarter run, finishing with 25 points. She joined the WNBA's 5,000-point club. Caitlin Clark recorded 17 points, 8 assists, and 7 rebounds. Aliyah Boston contributed 19 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 blocks.

For Atlanta: Allisha Gray and Jordin Canada each scored 13 points. Naz Hillmon added 12 points. Angel Reese recorded 11 points and 10 rebounds. The Fever's defense held Atlanta to a season-low 71 points.

Phoenix Mercury 111, Indiana Fever 109

Wednesday night

The Mercury defeated the Fever 111-109.

Caitlin Clark exited the game in the third quarter due to a back injury.

She finished with 19 points and 8 assists in 20 minutes. Kelsey Mitchell led Indiana with 30 points; Aliyah Boston added 23 points and nine rebounds. Alyssa Thomas recorded 24 points, 4 rebounds, and 8 assists for Phoenix.

Player Injury and Status Updates

Caitlin Clark Back Issues

Clark missed the game against the Portland Fire on May 20, 2025, due to back stiffness. The Fever head coach stated she woke up with stiffness and soreness and the team chose to be cautious. The team ruled her out at 5:20 p.m. ET for a 7 p.m. game.

The Fever initially listed "no injuries" in their status report after Tuesday's practice. WNBA rules require teams to report player participation status by 5 p.m. local time the day before a game (except for back-to-backs). The delay may constitute a violation of league policy, potentially resulting in a fine.

Clark left the June 24, 2026 game against the Phoenix Mercury in the third quarter with a back injury. She wore a wrap around her back on the bench. She is listed as day-to-day. Clark was ruled out of the subsequent game against the Los Angeles Sparks on Saturday.

Aliyah Boston Injury

Boston left the overtime game against the Washington Mystics with a lower leg injury and did not return. She was off the injury report for the following game.

League Actions and Officiating Incidents

Alyssa Thomas Suspension

The WNBA suspended Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas for one game and assessed a Flagrant Foul 2 for "recklessly making contact with her fist to the throat area" of Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark. The incident occurred with 6:52 remaining in the second quarter of the June 24, 2026 game.

No foul was called during the game. Officials did not review the play.

The Fever head coach stated that officials told her at halftime they did not see the contact. Thomas will serve her suspension on Saturday when the Mercury visit the Toronto Tempo.

Caitlin Clark Technical Foul Review and Fine

During the Fever's win over the Phoenix Mercury on Monday, an altercation occurred between Clark and Mercury forward DeWanna Bonner. Multiple technical fouls were assessed, including one to Clark.

The WNBA did not rescind the technical foul and issued a $1,000 fine to Clark. Clark stated referee Gerda Gatling told her the technical was for clapping and instigating.

Five players received technical fouls during the incident: Clark, Bonner, Mercury's Alyssa Thomas, and Fever reserves Sophie Cunningham and Myisha Hines-Allen. Hines-Allen received a second technical and was ejected. The technical was Clark's fifth of the season. Players are automatically suspended for one game upon receiving eight technical fouls.

Previous Incidents Involving Physical Contact with Clark

  • June 24, 2026: Alyssa Thomas made contact with her fist to Clark's throat area. No foul called; league later issued flagrant-2 and one-game suspension.
  • June 17, 2025: Jacy Sheldon poked Clark in the eye; Marina Mabrey shoved Clark, leading to a fight and ejections. Mabrey's foul was later upgraded to flagrant-2.
  • September 24, 2024: DiJonai Carrington poked Clark in the eye; no foul called. Clark suffered a black eye.
  • June 1, 2024: Chennedy Carter hip-checked Clark during a dead ball; foul was upgraded to flagrant-1.
  • May 28, 2024: Clark stated that defenders get away with physical play against her that others do not.

Coach Statements on Officiating

Fever head coach Stephanie White stated: "She is not called the same way everybody else is called. The fist in the throat is crazy. It's dangerous."

White also said: "We have a generational talent and a WNBA superstar who had two cheap shots right there that weren't called."

WNBA Officiating Context

The WNBA formed an officiating task force in the offseason to address physical play and consistency. Average foul calls per game increased from 32.4 in 2025 to 41.8 in the first month of the 2026 season.

Upcoming Games

  • Indiana Fever: Hosts Seattle Storm on Sunday; visits New York on Saturday; visits Los Angeles on Wednesday.
  • Washington Mystics: Continue four-game trip at Dallas on Monday.
  • Dallas Wings: Hosts Atlanta on Tuesday.
  • Phoenix Mercury: Visit Toronto Tempo on Saturday (Thomas serving suspension); next meeting with Fever scheduled for July 9, 2026.