The Fever have made a habit of clawing out of big holes this season, but their victory over the Sun the other day certainly trumps any of the other 18 before it. Down by 21 in the third quarter, they forced overtime (OT) through sheer will and eventually pulled off their biggest comeback in franchise history. It was Hoosier lifer Kelsey Mitchell who lit the fuse, erupting for 38 points — 34 after halftime — in an encounter that demanded both defiance and precision under pressure.
To be sure, the Fever had other stalwarts to thank for their latest win. Hardship signup Odyssey Sims ran the offense with urgency. Veteran Natasha Howard gave them balance in the frontcourt. Third-year pro Aliyah Boston pieced together a stat line that proves she provides exactly what is needed: 14 points, 13 rebounds, five assists, and a handful of defensive stops that shifted momentum their way. Needless to say, it was the type of collective effort that hints at what the red, blue, and gold can be at full strength.
Which, for all intents, begs the one question the Fever continue to ask: When will they be complete? Not without irony, the elation they felt following their set-to the other day was tempered by a moment in the second quarter that left all and sundry shaken. As key offseason acquisition Sophie Cunningham hit the floor screaming in pain after an accidental collision, head coach Stephanie White admitted her immediate reaction smacked of profanity.
By the time the final buzzer sounded, the thrill of the triumph ran alongside the uneasy wait for the result of tests that will determine its cost. No doubt, the injury hits even harder given what the Fever have already endured. Superstar Caitlin Clark has missed 13 straight games. Point guards Aari McDonald and Sydney Colson are sidelined indefinitely. Among the casualties, Cunningham had been one of the few bright spots in a constantly tested rotation; her absence figures to leave yet another gap to cover. And it bears noting that the frustration spilled into the public eye; her family took to social media to question the officiating and league’s regard — or lack thereof — for player safety, a raw reminder that with increased popularity comes scrutiny on the importance of balancing competition with protection.
For now, the win stands as a stirring reminder of the Fever’s grit. Theirs was a performance that had White, no stranger to close battles, shedding happy tears in cognizance of how it galvanizes them. Yet, its meaning may lie less in the short-term gain than in the longer-term price. They have shown an uncanny capacity to best nearly anything the scoreboard can throw at them. What remains to be seen is whether they can withstand the losses that do not appear in the box score. These are the ones to avoid, the ones that slowly chip away at a season’s promise.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and human resources management, corporate communications, and business development.
