The Indiana Fever’s long-awaited return to the WNBA Playoffs should have been a moment for celebration. Instead, it comes with another gut punch.
Indiana heads into Sunday’s opening-round matchup against the Atlanta Dream already battered. The 3 p.m. ET tipoff marks the Fever’s return to the postseason since last year, but their roster hardly resembles the one that started the year. Caitlin Clark, Sophie Cunningham, Sydney Colson, Aari McDonald, and Chloe Bibby have all been lost for the season. That level of attrition alone would test any franchise.
Now, less than a day before Game 1, the Fever learned that veteran center Damiris Dantas won’t be suiting up. As reported by beat writer Scott Agness, Dantas has entered concussion protocol and will miss the playoff opener.
Depth Tested Once Again
Dantas’ absence won’t make headlines the way Clark’s injury did, but it matters. She’s logged double-digit minutes in each of Indiana’s last three games, providing stability in the rotation and posting 10 points with six rebounds in the regular-season finale against Minnesota. Her averages this season – 4.6 points and 2.4 boards – don’t jump off the page, but for a team already scrambling for depth, her contributions were meaningful.
The matchup with Atlanta only makes the loss sting more. The Dream bring size and physicality with Brionna Jones, Naz Hillman, and Brittney Griner, a trio that could wear down Indiana’s frontcourt. Without Dantas, the pressure falls heavily on Aliyah Boston and Natasha Howard to hold their own inside.
Head coach Stephanie White is unlikely to expand the bench, instead relying on her core starters – Boston, Howard, Lexie Hull, Odyssey Sims, and Kelsey Mitchell – while keeping rotations tight. Off the bench, expect Aerial Powers, Shey Peddy, and Brianna Turner to play extended roles. Turner, in particular, may be asked to do the dirty work Dantas usually provides.
For Indiana, the timing couldn’t be worse. After clawing their way into the playoffs for the first time in nearly a decade, the Fever face the Dream with one of the league’s longest injury reports and an even thinner margin for error.
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