​LOS ANGELES — Just two weeks after Indiana handed Los Angeles a 30-point defeat at home, the Fever again faltered in a 106-92 loss to the Sparks on Wednesday night at Crypto.com Arena. Aliyah Boston sat out in a load-management decision, as Indiana (12-9) plays a back-to-back against Phoenix tomorrow, and the visitors clearly felt her presence missing in the paint. Caitlin Clark returned for the first time since June 24, but she was limited by a minutes restriction, logging 16 minutes and scoring nine points on 4-for-12 shooting (1-for-6 from three). Kelsey Mitchell poured in 29 points, while Lexie Hull added 14.
Here’s a look at what went right, what didn’t, and what the loss means for Indiana. Buy 2026 Indiana Fever tickets!
In the lead-up to tip-off, Sophie Cunningham of the Fever signed autographs for fans, a reminder of the moment’s energy inside the arena. Mitchell remained the main source of offense for Indiana, essentially keeping the team afloat with her scoring ability. She entered the game averaging 21.9 points per contest and finished Wednesday with 29 on 9-for-18 shooting overall and a 5-for-9 effort from three-point range, continuing to demonstrate why she’s one of the league’s most reliable scorers.
From a strategic standpoint, the Fever faced an early misstep in challenges. Coach Stephanie White used her challenge on Makayla Timpson’s first-quarter foul, a call that ultimately was overturned and deemed unsuccessful. That decision cost Indiana a timeout and the opportunity to challenge again for the remainder of the game. In many cases, saving a challenge for a later moment can be prudent, but opting to challenge early—especially on a play that was unlikely to swing the game—limited White’s ability to contest calls down the stretch, including a pivotal third-quarter review for an out-of-bounds call that drew White’s ire.
Frontcourt depth proved problematic from the outset. Boston’s absence left Indiana without a natural, interior force, and Justine Pissott, who had joined the Fever via a contract with the Aces the day prior, was unavailable to activate. That left the bench thinner than expected heading into the action, and early foul trouble from Indiana’s starting frontcourt only compounded the issue. Monique Billings and Myisha Hines-Allen each picked up third fouls—Billings’ (two of which were offensive) at 7:50 of the second period, and Hines-Allen’s third with 4:23 left in the second. The consequence was a need to lean on Damiris Dantas and Grace VanSlooten—two players who typically see most meaningful minutes in garbage time—to handle larger chunks of frontcourt responsibility in the second half.
The lack of frontline options then fed into the broader problem: Indiana’s frontcourt depth struggled to contest the Sparks’ interior attack. Even without Cam Brink, Los Angeles found ways to impose their size, and the Fever were left contending with mismatches and limited options off the bench. With Boston out, the team’s interior durability suffered, and the Sparks took advantage, pushing their advantage as the game wore on.
Mitchell’s scoring remained the bright spot, but Indiana could not sustain enough momentum to erase the deficit. Clark’s return provided a spark of hope, though her minutes restriction limited her ability to impact the game on both ends. Hull contributed a solid 14 points, adding versatility to the scoring mix, but the gap between Indiana and Los Angeles proved too wide to overcome.
Looking ahead, the Fever will need to manage minutes for Clark and rely on the continued development of role players to compensate for the frontcourt depth. A quick turnaround against Phoenix is on the docket, and Indiana will hope to regain its footing with a healthier lineup and refreshed energy.