by Zion Brown
Indiana Fever lose 20th game of season in 88-72 defeat to Connecticut Sun
INDIANAPOLIS — It’s been nearly two months since the Indiana Fever earned consecutive wins.
After escaping with a win over the Phoenix Mercury on Tuesday, the Fever fell 88-72 against the Connecticut Sun on Friday night. The Fever dropped to 7-20 and are 11th in the WNBA standings.
Connecticut controlled the game after the first five minutes. After a 5-7 start to the season, Indiana has won just two of its past 15 games.
Here are three observations from another Fever defeat:
Connecticut Sun got what they wanted inside
After Alyssa Thomas made history with a 21-point, 21-rebound, 12-assist triple-double Tuesday, Fever coach Christie Sides emphasized keeping Thomas and the rest of Connecticut out of the paint.
Indiana failed to do so, as the Sun had 40 points in the paint Friday. Connecticut entered Friday’s contest with the fourth-ranked offense in the WNBA despite attempting the second-fewest 3-pointers in the league.
“We let people turn the corner, get downhill on us,” Sides said. “(We) gotta keep them in front… They’re finishing at the rim, or they’re getting fouled. (We) just gotta do a better job of our individual scheme defense and then also having more pride in your individual defense.”
The experienced Sun squad bullied the Fever all night long, and their lead flourished as a result.
Indiana Fever deprived of shooting
Kelsey Mitchell has been Indana’s only reliable 3-point shooter this season. When she has a night like Friday — just 13 points and 2-of-6 from deep — it’s nearly impossible for the Fever to win.
Indiana shot an abysmal 7-for-23 (30.4%) behind the arc Friday night. If the Fever knocked down open looks at an average rate, they’d have one of the league’s best offenses. Instead, athletic teams like the Sun can help aggressively when Mitchell and Aliyah Boston have the ball, knowing Indiana can’t make them pay from deep.
“It’s basketball. Some days you make shots, some days you don’t,” said Fever guard Erica Wheeler, who shot 1-of-5 from deep on Friday. “It was just one of those days we just didn’t make shots.”
Sides appears to be desperately looking for an answer to Indiana’s shooting woes.
“I think we’re getting great looks, and we’re not knocking shots down,” the first-year head coach said. “We’ve got to figure out how and who can get out there and make shots.”
The Fever already traded Queen Egbo for Amanda Zahui B. in July, but they could acquire a legitimate shooter before Monday night’s trade deadline. If the franchise wants to make a late playoff push, it may have to consider shopping for a catch-and-shoot threat.
NaLyssa Smith’s presence is missed
Indiana’s second-leading scorer missed her eighth consecutive game due to a stress fracture in her left foot. Smith averaged 15.6 points and 9.7 rebounds per game before going down. The Fever miss the forward’s scoring production and ability to play high-low with Boston.
Friday marked the fifth-straight game Indiana failed to score 80 points. Smith, who Indiana selected second overall in the 2022 draft, has showcased three-level scoring the team misses in her absence.
Emma Cannon has performed alright in Smith’s place, but the team’s forward depth is thin without Smith, who can also play center.
Without Smith, more losses are likely to accumulate. She is a staple of the organization’s rebuild, and it feels like a hole is missing when she’s not playing.
Originally posted on indystar.com