The Indiana Fever are heading to the 2025 Commissioner’s Cup final, marking a significant milestone as the Eastern Conference representative. Their path to the championship game wasn’t smooth; it required a hard-fought victory and a bit of help from another team.
The Fever secured their spot with an 88-71 win over the Connecticut Sun on Tuesday, coupled with the New York Liberty defeating the Atlanta Dream. This outcome left both Indiana and New York tied with identical 4-1 records in Commissioner’s Cup play. However, the Fever clinched the tiebreaker advantage, earned from a previous victory over the Liberty.
This historic advancement marks the first time in the five-year history of the Commissioner’s Cup that the Indiana Fever have reached the final. They will travel to face the Western Conference winners, the Minnesota Lynx, on Tuesday, July 1st.
Game Marred by Multiple Scuffles
The decisive game against the Connecticut Sun was characterized by palpable tension and several on-court altercations, reflecting the intense rivalry between the teams. The physicality escalated significantly in the second half, leading to multiple fouls, technical fouls, and ejections.
A pivotal incident occurred in the third quarter involving Fever star Caitlin Clark. While driving towards the basket, Clark was fouled by Sun guard Jacy Sheldon, who appeared to swipe towards her face. Simultaneously, Sheldon’s teammate, Marina Mabrey, body-checked Clark from her blind side. As Clark reacted by shoving Sheldon, other Sun players, including Tina Charles and Mabrey, became involved. Mabrey then pushed Clark to the floor from behind.
Following an official review, Sheldon’s foul on Clark was upgraded to a Flagrant Foul Penalty 1. Technical fouls were assessed to Clark, Charles, and Mabrey. Notably, despite pushing Clark to the ground, Mabrey was not ejected. Crew chief Ashley Gloss later explained via the official pool report that Mabrey’s contact “did not rise to the level of an ejection” and did not meet the criteria for a Flagrant Foul Penalty 2. The home crowd at Gainbridge Fieldhouse voiced their disapproval, relentlessly booing Mabrey every time she touched the ball afterward.
The heated nature of the contest continued into the final minute. With the Fever holding a comfortable lead, Sun guard Jacy Sheldon secured a steal and raced towards a fast-break layup. Fever wing Sophie Cunningham chased her down and committed a hard foul, throwing Sheldon to the ground with just 46 seconds remaining. Sheldon and her teammate Lindsay Allen immediately confronted Cunningham, leading to a scuffle that briefly spilled into the courtside seats before players and officials intervened.
After a lengthy review of this incident, Cunningham was issued a Flagrant Foul Penalty 2 and ejected from the game. Sheldon and Allen also received technical fouls and were ejected. Sun coach Rachid Meziane expressed his frustration, calling Cunningham’s foul “disrespectful” and questioning the ejections of Sheldon and Allen, stating they “did nothing.”
Officiating Under Scrutiny
The frequent physicality and the handling of the altercations drew sharp criticism from both sides, highlighting a perceived ongoing issue with officiating in the league. Fever coach Stephanie White was particularly vocal postgame.
“When the officials don’t get control of the ball game, when they allow that stuff to happen and it’s been happening all season long … this is what happens,” White stated, arguing that unchecked physicality allows competitive players to push boundaries and defend teammates, leading to confrontations. She claimed she had spoken to officials early in the first quarter, anticipating potential issues. White further asserted that the level of officiating is not keeping pace with the players’ improvements league-wide, saying everyone in the WNBA is getting better “except the officials.”
Sun center Olivia Nelson-Ododa echoed similar sentiments, suggesting that incidents like these occur when games aren’t managed effectively from the outset, emphasizing the need for better handling of calls and fouls throughout the game. Caitlin Clark, while declining to specifically discuss the fouls or officiating herself in the postgame press conference, visibly nodded in agreement with Coach White’s critical assessment.
Clark’s Impact Amidst the Physicality
Despite being at the center of one of the game’s most physical moments, Caitlin Clark delivered a strong performance to help lift the Fever to victory. She finished with 20 points and six assists in 29 minutes of play. Clark connected on four 3-pointers, including a memorable 28-footer over Jacy Sheldon late in the game that extended Indiana’s lead. After the shot went in, Clark punctuated the moment with a stare-down and scream towards the Sun bench.
This was the first flagrant foul Clark has been the recipient of this season, though it marks her sixth in her first 48 WNBA games, including playoffs. While acknowledging her passion, Clark stated, “I’m here to play basketball. … My game’s gonna talk, and that’s all that really matters.”
Looking Ahead to the Final vs. Minnesota Lynx
Reaching the Commissioner’s Cup final is a significant step for the Indiana Fever, particularly for a young team that was the least experienced in the 2024 playoffs. While Clark’s ultimate stated goal for the season is a WNBA championship, the in-season tournament provides invaluable high-stakes competition.
Historically, teams reaching the Commissioner’s Cup final have often seen subsequent postseason success. With the exception of one team impacted by a major injury, every finalist has reached at least the WNBA semifinals, and the 2022 champion (Las Vegas Aces) went on to win the WNBA title that season.
The final matchup presents another tough test for the Fever: facing the Minnesota Lynx on the road. The Lynx clinched their spot by defeating the defending champion Las Vegas Aces. However, a key question mark looms over the Lynx, as their star forward and MVP contender Napheesa Collier left the game against the Aces with a back injury and her status for the final on July 1st remains uncertain.
The Fever have not played the Lynx this season but held a 1-2 record against a largely similar Minnesota roster in 2024, with their only win coming in a game Collier missed. The Commissioner’s Cup final in Minnesota will provide another crucial playoff-caliber environment for the Fever to navigate as they continue their development.
