Caitlin Clark and Fever get one more Lynx test, with playoff position still at stake

1 month ago 17

Indiana’s emphatic win over Minnesota on Tuesday was not the end of the conversation between the teams. The Fever visit the Lynx on Thursday for their final regular-season game, with playoff positioning still unsettled.

Caitlin Clark scored 27 points, handed out nine assists and grabbed seven rebounds in Indiana’s 96-77 home win Tuesday. Kelsey Mitchell added 20 points. It was the sort of performance a team wants immediately before the postseason: a fast start, a convincing finish and a win over the club at the top of the standings.

Now comes the harder part. Indiana must produce another strong outing against the same opponent, this time on Minnesota’s floor.

What Indiana is playing for

The Fever enter the finale at 28-15, fifth in the WNBA standings. Atlanta has locked up the No. 4 seed and first-round home-court advantage. Washington, at 27-16, remains directly behind Indiana. That means the Fever cannot climb into the top four, but their final position still matters. A loss coupled with a Mystics win could leave the teams tied at 28-16. Washington holds the relevant head-to-head tiebreaker.

A fifth-place finish would put Indiana opposite Atlanta in the first round under the league’s standard 4-vs.-5 bracket. Sixth would produce a different opponent and road assignment. The WNBA has not finalized every seed, so Thursday is about securing the best position available, not announcing a matchup early.

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The question beyond the standings

Tuesday’s victory showed how difficult Indiana can be to defend when Clark creates chances for both herself and her teammates. Mitchell’s scoring gives the Fever another late-game option, while Aliyah Boston gives the guards a reliable presence inside. The rematch offers a useful test of whether that balance travels. Minnesota has already clinched the top seed and will have its own decisions to make about managing players before the playoffs. Indiana’s job is less complicated: finish with purpose and enter Sunday’s opening round knowing it earned its seed.

The WNBA playoffs begin Sunday, Sept. 27. Thursday’s result will help determine the route Indiana takes to get there.