Caitlin Clark, Indiana Fever qualify for WNBA playoffs

Caitlyn Clark Indiana Fever qualify for WNBA playoffs what has already been a landmark 2024 for guard cin Clark got even better Wednesday as the Indiana Fever qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 2016 it ended the franchise's seven season playoff drought that was tied for the longest in WNBA history Clark the number one draft pick and front runner for WNBA rookie of the year and the fever made the postseason despite not playing Tuesday that was thanks to Las Vegas 90- 71 victory over Chicago and Phoenix's 74-66 when against Atlanta Indiana which moved to 17 to 16 Sunday and has its first winning record since June 2019 is in sixth place in the WNBA which sends eight teams to the playoffs seven of the spots are now clinched as Phoenix 17 to17 also earned a birth Tuesday after missing the postseason last year for the first time since 2012 Chicago and Atlanta both 11 to 22 are battling for the last spot with Washington which beat Dallas 90 to 86 Tuesday and is 10 to 23 New York Connecticut Minnesota Las Vegas and Seattle previously had earned their postseason spots earlier this year Clark became the all-time leading scorer in NCAA division one basketball history and made her second straight national championship game to finish her Iowa career career Then she joined 2023 number one pick and Rookie of the Year Ayah Boston in Indiana since the fever's First Media Day in May Clark has talked about the team's primary goal this season making the playoffs for the first time since the franchise Legend TOA Catchings ended her career in 2016 before the drought the fever had made the playoffs 12 years in a row including winning the 2012 WNBA Championship but five of the past seven seasons the fever have had single-digit win totals attendance plummeted by 2022 when Indiana went 5 to 31 under firste coach Christy sides and with the addition of South Carolina star Boston last year the fever improved to 13 to 27 then the fever won the draft lottery again and got Clark Boston Clark and two number two picks Kelsey Mitchell 2018 from Ohio State and Nelissa Smith 2022 from Baylor have been Indiana's starting core this season the fever got off to a rough start at 1 to8 but then found their footing they were 11 to 15 at the Olympic break and have gone 6 to1 since WNBA play resumed Mitchell is leading Indiana in scoring 19.0 followed by Clark 18.7 Boston 13.4 and Smith 11.1 Clark leads the WNBA and assists 8.4 and Boston 9.0 is in the League's top 10 in rebounding Indiana has 7 games left six of them at home in gainbridge Fieldhouse starting Wednesday against Los Angeles the fever have led the WNBA in attendance this season with huge crowds both at home and on the road the fever are the second team in WNBA history to make the playoffs after starting the season 1 to8 or Worse the Charlotte sting who disbanded after the 2006 season made the WNBA finals in 2001 after starting the season 1 to8 and lost there to Los Angeles us