The Indiana Fever head to CFG Bank Arena to take on the Washington Mystics in an Eastern Conference matchup. The game tips off at 7:30 PM ET on Wednesday. Indiana is 2-2 on the season, while Washington enters with a 2-3 record.
This is the first meeting since May 3, when Indiana beat Washington 79-74. The big story this time is the absence of rookie guard Caitlin Clark, who is out for at least two weeks with a left quadriceps injury. She had averaged 19 points, 9.3 assists, and 6 rebounds across her first four WNBA games.
Fever Preview – Life Without Clark Begins
The Fever must now find a way to compete without their lead guard and top playmaker. Clark had led the team in assists in every game and was key in breaking down defenses. Her absence means more ball-handling responsibilities fall on Kelsey Mitchell and Lexie Hull.
Aliyah Boston continues to be Indiana’s anchor. She’s averaging 18.5 points and 10.8 rebounds per game. In their recent 90-88 loss to New York, Boston posted 27 points on 12-of-19 shooting and added 13 rebounds in 36 minutes.
Mitchell scored 15 points on 6-of-16 shooting in that game. Hull added another 15 points off 6-for-9 from the field. Indiana’s two losses this season have come by a combined three points. They’ve been competitive in every game but will need to adjust their style with Clark out.
Mystics Preview – Ending the Slide at Home
Washington has lost three straight, all by close margins. Their latest loss was 68-62 on the road to Phoenix. The Mystics shot just 27.3% from the field and went 4-for-20 from three-point range.
Rookie Kiki Iriafen was a bright spot with her fourth straight double-double. She scored 11 points on 3-of-4 shooting and pulled down 13 rebounds. Rookie guard Sonia Citron led the team in scoring again with 14 points, showing consistency early in the season.
Brittney Sykes, who leads the team with 22.3 points per game on the year, struggled in Phoenix, finishing with 10 points on 1-for-13 shooting. The Mystics are 1-0 at home this year and hope to reset offensively after going cold in Arizona.
Betting Prediction
Indiana has covered in three of their four games this season, while Washington is also 3-2 ATS. The Fever rank third in the league in field goal percentage at 46.1%, while the Mystics have the top-rated defense in opponent field goal percentage at 36.9%. Something has to give in this matchup.
The loss of Clark is a major blow, especially for Indiana’s passing and spacing. Washington hasn’t played clean offense either, but their defense and home court could give them an edge. Expect a low-scoring, tight game where turnovers and rebounds make the difference. Final score prediction: Mystics 76, Fever 72.
Pick: Mystics -2
Washington wins this one. The fans in Indiana are going to find out real quick how important Clark is to this lineup.
