Fever lose another one-possession game at home, likes and dislikes from Fever vs Mystics
The Fever are 1-2 after another close defeat.
INDIANAPOLIS – Home game number two for the 2026 Indiana Fever came on Friday night with the Washington Mystics in town. The Fever were looking for their first win at home this season and had their full roster available for the second-straight game.
The Mystics entered with the same 1-1 record, but both of their first two games were tight battles. They're young but building a strong foundation and have terrific star plays.
With Monique Billings healthy again, the Fever had a better defensive floor right from the jump. Likes and dislikes from Fever-Mystics.
Tony East
LIKE: Fever's early offense, led by stars
Kelsey Mitchell for three. Aliyah Boston at the cup, then a pick and pop three. Caitlin Clark stepping back from beyond the arc, then hitting a three on the next trip.
All of this happened in the first five-ish minutes of the game, as did a few tidy finishes from Billings and a wide open triple from Sophie Cunningham. The Fever's offense had no trouble getting an open look early in the game, and it was all on the back of their stars.
Clark had six points and three assists at the first stoppage. Boston and Mitchell combined for eight more points. The Fever were up 21-13 less than six minutes into the game thanks to their fast start with the rock.
DISLIKE: Fever's first quarter close
The Fever were doubling up the Mystics at 26-13 before an 8-2 run from Washington ended the first frame. That's not a crushing stretch by any means, and the Fever still led by seven after 10 minutes. But the Fever scored just two points in the final 3:25 of the opening period, including five-straight misses.
Their only points in that stretch came at the foul line. Clark's exit did coincide with the team's struggle to generate good looks – some because of the rest of the players on the floor, but also because of a generally slower offense with Ty Harris initiating plays (Harris was good on Wednesday).
The start of the second quarter wasn't much better. Washington went on an 8-2 run in 90 seconds to cut Fever's lead to one and force a timeout from head coach Stephanie White.
DISLIKE: Offensive process for much of the second quarter
From the 3:25 mark of the first quarter to the 3:25 mark of the second, the Fever scored just nine points as the Mystics pulled ahead. The Fever's defense was ok – not great, but good enough to stay in the game if their offense held its level.
But their offense did not hold its level. In total, it was a 25-9 stretch across that 10 minutes. The Fever shot 3/20, including 1/6 from deep, and logged just one assist. They had three turnovers and committed nine fouls.
Nothing was going well. Good shots were often passed up. Worse shots were forced. Too much individual shot creation was happening. It's not how the Fever want to play, but something about the Mystics defense had the Fever out of sorts.
Mitchell got the team out of their funk a bit with a couple baskets in a row. But the Fever hope to win with offense yet were losing because of their offense for that 10-minute stretch.
Halftime score: Mystics 41, Fever 37
LIKE: Aliyah Boston, initiating in the third quarter
The beginning of the third quarter was much of the same for the Fever, but they got in gear to some extent with just over four minutes left in the frame. Boston's force was a big factor.
A Boston offensive rebound earned her a trip to the foul line, as did a drive after a shot fake from deep. She was patient yet powerful in the lane, then pushed the ball up the floor on multiple possessions in a row to let Mitchell work off the ball. That created a transition three, which cut the deficit to five.
It wasn't the longest stretch of good play, but it was something different compared to the previous 20 minutes of Fever struggles.
DISLIKE: The stretch immediately following Boston's force
Mitchell's previously-mentioned three made the score 56-51 Mystics with 3:23 to go in the third period. With 1:37 to go, it was 65-51 Washington. So a 9-0 run in about two minutes, eliminating all of the Fever's momentum.
The Fever looked totally disjointed on both ends. They lost Kiki Iriafen on a baseline out-of-bounds play and left her wide open under the basket. White took a timeout at that point. Her team needed a chat.
LIKE: The start of the fourth quarter and Caitlin Clark's impact
Clark made those aforementioned consecutive threes in the first quarter, but missed the rest of her first 15 shots. Finally, to start the final frame, she got going again.
Clark hit a three... then another. Along the way, she flashed many of her standard moves to get the crowd into the game. The Fever got a few steals along the way, one of which led to Clark finding Billings in the open floor. That drew a foul.
Suddenly, the Fever were down just four and had momentum with a lively crowd. Clark, plus some defensive mojo, made it happen – and it continued out of the ensuring Mystics timeout. Clark hit Myisha Hines-Allen for a basket, then drilled another three to give the Fever a lead at 70-69. In total, it was a 17-2 Fever run that got them back in front.
DISLIKE: Injuries
The Fever lost Aliyah Boston for the fourth quarter as she was ruled out with a lower leg injury. The previous game, she had a minutes restriction between 25 and 30 but didn't reach it after fouling out.
DISLIKE: Most things from the Fever in the final minutes
The Fever were ahead 76-75 with 3:31 to go. Then, an 8-0 Mystics run. In that span: Too many fouls from the Fever to keep up with their many missed shots. And yet...
LIKE: Brilliant play calling in the final seconds
The Fever, down three with five seconds to go, needed to generate an open three. White drew up a beauty to get Clark a look late, and she drilled it before Sonia Citron hit a full-court shot... after the buzzer. Overtime.
Hines-Allen hands it to Caitlin Clark. Tie game. What a play call: pic.twitter.com/Q5967PxpfA
— Tony East (@TonyREast) May 16, 2026
DISLIKE: Overtime paint defense
The Mystics cut up the Fever to start the overtime period, scoring at the rim over and over on their way to a four-point lead. Even after a miss at the cup, Washington walked in for an easy offensive rebound and putback.
Boston's absence loomed large. The Fever needed to tighten things up on defense in the final two minutes. Their offense was clicking again, yet that wasn't enough to keep up on the scoreboard to start the extra period.
DISLIKE: Missed free throws late
Mitchell and Lexie Hull went 1/4 from the foul line in the final minute, and the Fever were down three after the last rim out from Hull. Those were painful missed opportunities from the Fever, but they had one more chance down three with 23.7 on the clock.
Mitchell raced toward the cup for a quick two but left it short. The Fever were going to need another miracle.
They didn't get it despite another push. Down eight with 45 seconds to go in regulation, the Fever looked finished. It was impressive that they got the game to overtime at all. But they weren't good enough in the additional five minutes and dropped the game.
The final score: Mystics 104, Fever 102. The Fever are 1-2 with two one-possession defeats at home. They'll try to win in front of their home crowd on Sunday.
Thank you for reading. A Pacers season review coming tomorrow, then a game from Fever-Storm on Sunday. Sign up to have these stories sent straight to your email inbox.
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