Indiana Fever WNBA playoff picture: Updated standings, schedule, scenarios for Caitlin Clark to make postseason

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Caitlin Clark Indiana Fever
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The drought is over in Indiana.

After the Fever last qualified for the WNBA Playoffs in 2016, the All-Star trio of Caitlin Clark, Aliyah Boston, and Kelsey Mitchell are leading the franchise back to the postseason in 2024.

It's been a wild ride for Indiana, which has won 16 of 24 games following a brutal 1-8 start to the season. As a result, the Fever are above .500 for the first time since June 2019. They become just the second WNBA team to start a season 1-8 or worse and still make the playoffs, joining the now-defunct Charlotte Sting.

As the finish line nears, here is where the Fever stands in the WNBA standings and how they ended an eight-year playoff drought.

Standings through games played Tuesday, Sept. 3.

MORE: WNBA playoff picture: Updated standings, outlook for top eight teams

Indiana Fever updated WNBA playoff picture, standings 

The Fever have jumped into the WNBA's sixth seed and have an outside shot to move to fifth, though they'll need some help. Indiana won the season series with Phoenix (3-0) but lost the season series with Seattle (1-3). Based on WNBA tiebreak rules, the Fever would need to finish one full game ahead of the Storm to have a better seed.

Rank Team W-L Win Pct. GB
1. x-New York Liberty 27-6 .818
2. x-Connecticut Sun 24-9 .727 3
3. x-Minnesota Lynx 24-9 .727 3
4. x - Las Vegas Aces 21-12 .636 6
5. x - Seattle Storm 20-13 .606 7
6. x-Indiana Fever 17-16 .515 10.5
7. x-Phoenix Mercury 17-17 .500 10.5
8. Chicago Sky 11-22 .333 16
Atlanta Dream 11-22 .333 16
Washington Mystics 10-23 .303 17
Dallas Wings 9-24 .273 18
Los Angeles Sparks 7-25 .219 19.5

X: Clinched playoffs

If the WNBA season ended today…

The No. 6 Fever would face the No. 3 Lynx in a best-of-three playoff series.

Indiana's most likely playoff opponents are Connecticut and Minnesota. The Fever are 1-3 this season against the Sun and 1-1 against the Lynx with one final meeting set for Friday, Sept. 6.

MORE: Caitlin Clark is thriving with one of Allen Iverson's old plays

Indiana Fever remaining schedule

The Fever have an advantageous schedule to close the season. While they face the defending champion Aces twice, Indiana plays six of its final seven games at home.

Date Opponent Time (ET) TV channel
Wednesday, Sept. 4 vs. Sparks 7 p.m. CBSSN
Friday, Sept. 6 vs. Lynx 7:30 p.m. ION
Sunday, Sept. 8 vs. Dream 4 p.m. ESPN3
Wednesday, Sept. 11 vs. Aces 7 p.m. NBA TV
Friday, Sept. 13 vs. Aces 7:30 p.m. ION
Sunday, Sept. 15 vs. Wings 3 p.m. NBA TV
Thursday, Sept. 19 at Mystics 7 p.m. Prime Video

Indiana Fever WNBA playoff-clinching scenarios

Entering the slate of games Tuesday, Sept. 3, the Fever's magic number stood at two. And while Indiana was idle Tuesday night, the team clinched a playoff berth courtesy of losses by Chicago and Atlanta.

The 2024 WNBA Playoffs begin on Sunday, Sept. 22.

MORE: Yes, Caitlin Clark is turnover-prone, but it;s not as much of a negative as it seems

Indiana Fever WNBA playoff history

While the Fever faced a lengthy postseason drought, the franchise has a rich history of success. Here is a look back at the team's history in the WNBA Playoffs, including a streak of 12 consecutive playoff appearances from 2005-16.

Year Record Result
2024 TBD TBD
2016 17-17 Lost First Round
2015 20-14 Lost Finals
2014 16-18 Lost East Finals
2013 16-18 Lost East Finals
2012 22-12 Won Finals
2011 21-13 Lost East Finals
2010 21-13 Lost East Finals
2009 22-12 Lost Finals
2008 17-17 Lost East Semifinals
2007 21-13 Lost East Finals
2006 21-13 Lost East Semifinals
2005 21-13 Lost East Finals
2002 16-16 Lost East Semifinals

How many championships do the Indiana Fever have?

The Fever have won one WNBA championship.

Led by Tamika Catchings and Shavonte Zellous, Indiana defeated Minnesota, 3-1, in the 2012 WNBA Finals. Catchings was named WNBA Finals MVP.

Indiana is 1-2 all-time in the WNBA Finals. The franchise also advanced to the Finals in 2009-15 but came up short against the Mercury and Lynx, respectively.

WNBA playoff tiebreakers

The WNBA has five playoff seeding tiebreakers in place if two teams finish with the same record:

  1. Better record in head-to-head games
  2. Better winning percentage within own conference
  3. Better winning percentage against all teams with .500 or better record at the end of the season
  4. Better point differential in head-to-head games
  5. Coin toss

If there are more than two teams tied for the same seed, the tiebreakers are similar but have a slightly different twist:

  1. Better winning percentage among all head-to-head games involving tied teams
  2. Better winning percentage against teams within the conference (if all teams are from the same conference) or better record against teams in the opposite conference (if one or more teams are in different conferences)
  3. Better winning percentage against all teams with a .500 or better record at the end of the season
  4. Better point differential in games involving tied teams
  5. Coin toss
Author(s)
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Gilbert McGregor is an NBA content producer for The Sporting News.
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