It was 65 days ago in front of 16,966 spectators that the Indiana Fever clinched victory over the Atlanta Dream, 99-82. But moving into the playoffs, it would feel like a distant memory for Stephanie White. Caitlin Clark was still starting, with Cunningham, McDonald, and Colson providing depth. Each of these players went down with an injury, and the Fever’s comeback became even harder from 10-10. Atlanta, on the other hand, ended up 30-14 from a 12-8 record then. Now with the tip-off at Gateway Center, both Indiana and Atlanta will enter a fight to survive the postseason.

Many fans will want it to be the side of Caitlin Clark, but the road is not an easy one. Their head coach, Stephanie White, knows it. Earlier, having taken a Fever roster to the grand finals, she has the experience to carry the team ahead. However, Indiana has a major problem at hand: playing with a depleted roster. Indiana will be short six key players (Damiris Dantas being the latest addition) as they suit up for the postseason game. But White is still optimistic, signaling the playoffs are an entirely different ball game.

Before the tip-off, Stephanie White talked about how the Fever is prepared for the postseason. “Playoffs require a different level of urgency in everything we do. Everything matters, how you approach things, and we talked about it today. It’s going to take another level of discipline. It’s going to take another level of focus, starting with our prep. Rotations get shorter, your time sometimes gets shorter. Everything is heightened, and we have to be willing to rise to the occasion and meet the moment,” she said.

A lot has indeed changed since these two teams faced off in July. Both teams have gone through injuries since the last time they met. While the list for Indiana is long, Atlanta had its fair share, too. Rhyne Howard, Jordin Canada, and Allisha Gray all faced their setbacks. Taylor Thierry is also ruled out for the first playoff game due to an ankle issue. But the silver lining is, this is what makes this game more interesting.

It is like facing a new team with no history holding you back. As Sue Bird puts it, “The reason why this series is interesting is cause these two teams haven’t played each other… Obviously, Indiana is the team that’s been hit the absolute most by injuries, so they feel totally different, but they’ve kind of found themselves a little bit. Then you have Atlanta. They’ve had the injury bug a little bit, too. Not as much as Indiana, but you have a player like Jordin Canada who’s been out for a decent chunk of time and is now just back in the lineup. So, it’s not, you’re not gonna base it off anything from the regular season.”

The regular season is in the rearview mirror, and both Stephanie White and Sue Bird know it. Playoff basketball runs on tighter rotations, and Indiana will lean heavily on its established core. The starting group of Natasha Howard, Aliyah Boston, Lexie Hull, Odyssey Sims, and Kelsey Mitchell all but sets itself. From the bench, Aerial Powers, Shey Peddy, and Brianna Turner will shoulder added responsibility. Still, with several key contributors unavailable, the Fever face an uphill climb in their push for a postseason win. However, they do have a secret weapon against the Atlanta Dream.

Stephanie White to use an X-factor against Atlanta in the playoffs

With several key players sidelined, the spotlight turns to Aliyah Boston more than ever before. WNBA analyst Sabreena Merchant didn’t mince words when asked about the matchup: “For me, this is an Aliyah Boston series.” Merchant pointed to last year’s playoffs for evidence, reminding fans how Boston’s performance essentially neutralized Connecticut’s Brionna Jones. “And now Brionna Jones is in Atlanta, and I just don’t think she can guard Boston. I don’t think Stephanie White thinks that Jones can guard Boston either, having coached her last season.”

The statistics give weight to that prediction. Across four games against Atlanta this season, Boston averaged 13.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 5.0 assists. She produced 17 double-doubles and shattered the Fever’s single-season rebounding record with 356 boards. That resume is not just the growth of a young player but proof that the second-year center is already standing shoulder to shoulder with the league’s elite. Legends of the game have taken notice as well.

Sue Bird labeled Boston the Fever’s X-factor, stressing that her influence stretches beyond scoring. Bird pointed to Boston’s playmaking as the key to breaking down Atlanta’s frontcourt. With her ability to both control the paint and facilitate for teammates, Boston represents Indiana’s best hope of advancing in Caitlin Clark’s absence. If she delivers on that stage, the Fever’s playoff story could be just beginning.