Indiana Fever sensation Caitlin Clark believes the key to success as her team heads into their first-round playoff matchup against the Connecticut Sun is staying relaxed and maintaining a positive mindset. Speaking ahead of the highly anticipated series, Clark emphasized the importance of not letting pressure affect their game.
“You can’t get too tight; that’s not going to let you play good basketball,” Clark told ESPN’s Alexa Philippou. “I think what has really fueled our success in the second half of the season is the fun and energy we bring to the court, keeping a light and positive mood.”
However, Clark made it clear that despite their relaxed approach, the Fever are fully aware of the gravity of the situation. “At the same time, everybody knows this is the playoffs. This is very important to every single person on this team,” she added.
The Fever’s journey to the playoffs has been remarkable, securing their first postseason appearance since 2016 as the sixth seed. Indiana had a tough start, going 1-8 early in the season, but turned things around after the Olympic break with a 9-5 run, finishing the regular season with a 20-20 record.
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In terms of postseason experience, the Fever are at a disadvantage. According to the WNBA, Indiana ranks last among playoff teams, with a total of just 19 postseason games of experience across their roster. In contrast, the Connecticut Sun, who have made the playoffs for the past eight seasons, are second in the league with 222 postseason games collectively.
Fever head coach Christie Sides acknowledged the team’s inexperience but views it as a potential asset. “I don’t know if it’s a good thing or a bad thing,” Sides said. “They don’t know what they don’t know. So they just come out and play hard from the jump. I hope they keep doing what they’ve been doing all season.”
The Sun won the regular-season series against the Fever 3-1, but Indiana gained momentum by winning the last matchup at the end of August. As the Fever prepare for Game 1 in Connecticut, they hope to carry their late-season form into the playoffs.
The best-of-three series kicks off Sunday, with Connecticut hosting the first two games.
