This isn’t the same Fever team that the Liberty crushed, 104-68, just over a month ago.
It’s not the same one that had its home opener — which doubled as Caitlin Clark’s regular-season debut at Gainbridge Fieldhouse — spoiled by the superteam, or that lost by a combined 83 points in their three meetings this season.
The players haven’t changed.
There wasn’t any firing, either.
Caitlin Clark and the Fever have gone 6-4 since their last game against the Liberty. USA TODAY Sports
When Liberty coach Sandy Brondello spoke with Christie Sides, she told the Fever head coach, “You just gotta go through the process now. This is a new team.”
It would take time, just as it did for the Liberty in 2023.
And at some point, a juncture impossible to predict, everything would start to mesh.
Since the last Liberty-Fever matchup June 2, Indiana has crawled back into playoff conversations with a 6-4 run entering Saturday’s game in Indianapolis.
Some of that connects back to Clark, averaging 16.0 points, 7.1 assists and 5.7 rebounds.
Brondello and Breanna Stewart said the Fever’s post players — as well as Clark’s ability to orchestrate the offense alongside them — have contributed to their about-face, too, which adds a layer of complexity to the Liberty’s quest to sweep the season series.
“They’re a way tougher team now than they were in the beginning,” Brondello said.
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Aliyah Boston has helped the Fever get back into the playoff conversation. Getty Images
Over the last 10 games, the Fever’s offensive rating sits tied for third in the WNBA — behind just the Aces and Liberty — after possessing the second-worst number across their first three weeks of the season.
Aliyah Boston and NaLyssa Smith have nearly averaged double-doubles (15.5 points and 9.7 rebounds along with 11.5 and 8.5, respectively) during that stretch.
There have still been losses and defensive growing pains, but the Fever’s strides have been concrete.
“We’ve seen them three times already,” Stewart said Thursday. “Obviously know that each time they’ve gotten a little bit better, but still using what we do defensively to kind of impose our will.”
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NaLyssa Smith has nearly averaged a double-double since last facing the Liberty. Getty Images
That, as always, will start with Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, who helped limit Clark to nine points and three points, respectively, in two of the games.
But for about six minutes Tuesday, in the third quarter of their win against the Lynx, the Liberty encountered a scare when Laney-Hamilton’s leg tangled with Napheesa Collier and she eventually limped toward the bench.
Laney-Hamilton returned to play nearly the entire fourth quarter, and in the Liberty’s practice Thursday she was a full participant, Brondello said.
Betnijah Laney-Hamilton wasn’t one of All-Star Game selections when the Team WNBA roster was announced. » …