In what was expected to be a comfortable preseason outing, the Indiana Fever found themselves scraping out an overtime win against a depleted and rebuilding Washington Mystics squad. With rookie phenom Caitlin Clark sitting out due to precautionary rest, Indiana’s offense sputtered at times — and the Fever narrowly escaped with a 94–89 OT victory that raised more questions than answers.

No Caitlin, No Rhythm

Without Clark’s playmaking and deep shooting to space the floor, Indiana looked disjointed offensively, especially in the first half. The Fever committed multiple unforced turnovers, struggled with spacing, and lacked a clear floor general.

“We didn’t execute the way we needed to without Caitlin,” said head coach Christie Sides. “That’s something we have to improve — we can’t be one-dimensional.”

While NaLyssa Smith and Aliyah Boston provided stability inside, the absence of Clark’s perimeter gravity was glaring. The Fever shot just 5-of-18 from three and often relied on isolation plays that stalled out.

Mystics Missing Key Players — Still a Fight

To make matters more concerning for Indiana, the Mystics were clearly not at full strength. With multiple starters either resting or limited due to injury, Washington entered this matchup with a roster that looked closer to training camp mode than midseason form.

And yet, they battled — hard.

Behind solid efforts from Ariel Atkins and backup guard Jade Melbourne, the Mystics pushed the Fever to the brink. Washington led by 10 in the second half and seemed to out-hustle Indiana for stretches despite lacking star power.

Sophie Cunningham Saves the Day

The bright spot for Indiana came in the form of veteran Sophie Cunningham, who brought energy, toughness, and scoring when the team needed it most. She dropped 21 points and 8 rebounds, hitting clutch shots late in the fourth and in overtime to keep the Fever afloat.

Her performance was gritty and fearless — but the fact that she had to carry so much of the offensive load is not a great sign for Indiana’s depth without Clark.

An Overtime Win That Felt Like a Warning

While the box score says “win,” the tone of the game suggested concern. Against a tanking team missing key rotation players, Indiana needed extra time — and a heroic effort from Cunningham — to survive.

This raises early doubts about how reliant the Fever are on Caitlin Clark, and whether the offense can function without her as the engine.

“A win is a win,” Cunningham said after the game. “But we know we’ve got a lot to clean up. We didn’t play to our standard tonight.”

Final Score: Fever 94, Mystics 89 (OT)

The Fever got the victory — but it wasn’t pretty. With the regular season fast approaching, Indiana must find ways to be more consistent without leaning entirely on Clark. Otherwise, games like this against weakened opponents could turn into missed opportunities when it counts.