The Indiana Fever‘s hopes of finishing the regular season on a high note took a significant blow with Caitlin Clark‘s announcement that she will miss the remainder of the campaign. But how can they still qualify for the WNBA Playoffs?
The 23-year-old, who has been central to the Fever’s turnaround in 2025, confirmed that she will not return for the team’s last three regular-season games or any potential playoff appearances.
Even in disappointment, Caitlin expressed belief in her teammates’ ability to finish the task she helped begin before her run of injuries curtailed her campaign.
“Now it’s time to close out the season and claim our spot in the Playoffs,” Clark wrote on X.com, formerly known as Twitter.
The Fever, standing at 22-20, are in seventh place in the WNBA standings and their margin for error is thin. But the door remains open for postseason qualification, as the likes of Kelsey Mitchell and Aliyah Boston have to step up.
And Indiana strengthened their position with a convincing 97-77 win over Chicago, a performance defined by early dominance by out-scoring the Sky 31-15 in the first quarter and maintained a double-digit cushion the rest of the way.
Mitchell led the charge with 20 points and eight assists, embodying the “next woman up” mentality that will be critical without Clark.
How can the Indiana Fever qualify for the WNBA Playoffs?
The playoff path is straightforward in principle: one more victory will likely secure a postseason place. Indiana has two remaining opportunities – against the Washington Mystics and the Minnesota Lynx.
On paper, the Mystics are the more favorable matchup as they sit at 16-26 and are already eliminated from playoff contention, averaging just 77.7 points per game. However, history complicates the picture.
The Mystics hold a 2-1 season-series lead over the Fever, underscoring that Indiana cannot take the matchup lightly. Their only victory against Washington came in early March, an 85-76 decision.
If Indiana fails to close the deal against Washington, the alternative is far more difficult: defeating the 32-9 Minnesota Lynx who boast by far the best record across the entire league.
The Fever have beaten Minnesota twice this year, including in the Commissioner’s Cup final, but relying on that outcome carries considerable risk given the Lynx’s form and star power, led by Napheesa Collier.
According to ESPN’s Basketball Power Index, the Fever have a 92.2 percent chance of qualifying for the playoffs. Still, multiple scenarios remain on the table depending on how the final week unfolds:
If Indiana wins both games, they could rise as high as the fifth seed, depending on results involving New York and Seattle.
A split in the final two contests would still keep them ahead of the Los Angeles Sparks (19-22), placing Indiana in the sixth or seventh seed.
Losing both games introduces danger. If the Sparks close strong, Indiana risks sliding out of the playoff bracket altogether.
Complicating matters further are potential ties with Seattle or Golden State. In those cases, head-to-head records and intra-conference performance would be decisive.
Indiana’s 4-3 mark in certain tie-breaking combinations gives them an edge, but relying on other teams’ results is not an ideal position.
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