Indiana Pacers and Indiana Fever coverage for many places. Chronically online. You can only be who you are. Pacers words: https://www.forbes.com/sites/tonyeast/ Fever words: https://www.thenexthoops.com/author/tony-east/
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Deep dive: Possible Bennedict Mathurin + Aaron Nesmith extensions w/ Rhett Bauer. The Mathurin situation is complicated, which makes the answer easy. The Nesmith situation is simple, which makes the answer complicated. Listen: open.spotify.com/episode/502C... Watch: www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_-F...
Good morning and **YIKES***
Reminder: This is what is mathematically possible, not what is probable. One more NY win or Fever loss and this becomes 6-9, which has been the most likely result for like a month.
Fever's loss to Phoenix tonight means the Fever's seeding range is now 5-9. Homecourt advantage no longer even mathematically possible. 5 is only possible in the exceedingly unlikely event of a three-way tie with NY, I believe.
Final: Mercury 85, Fever 79. Both teams traded blows for much of the game, but a strong 15-3 run from Phoenix just before halftime was crucial. Fever never overcame it. 29 for Kelsey Mitchell, near triple-double from Thomas. Fever are 21-20 with 3 games left.
And... then a 9-2 Phoenix run. That's what this game has been. Fever short run to catch up, Mercury respond and extend advantage.
6-point game in Phoenix after a Bri Turner layup. Fever offensive execution is there right now, and their defense has conceded just 19 points in this second half. Timeout, Mercury.
Fever have the Mercury lead down to 8 after a three from Kelsey Mitchell. This has been mostly a back-and-forth game outside of the Fever's miserable stretch to close the first half. Fever need a stretch of good D.
Both coaches are mad. That kind of sequence.
5-point game at 44-39 Mercury with 1:41 to go before halftime. Final 100 seconds: 10-0 Phoenix run. It's 54-39 Mercury at the break after that brutal stretch. Phoenix has been efficient and confident, Fever not making even their good looks. Mitchell with 15, all in first quarter.
Actions featuring Boston are creating good shots, and the Fever keep going to it. Gotta make em, though, and that's not happening.
Mercury 25, Fever 23 after one quarter. Tight back and forth game so far with both teams drilling half of their threes. Fun one. Kelsey Mitchell has 15 of those 23 points - she's been tremendous.
Lexie Hull getting way better at those patient fake into step through plays in the lane. Just hit a floater out of it.
I think we can now conclude that the Fever's season is cursed
To be clear, I didn't know this and learned of it when Chloe asked the question.
Fever player development coach Keith Porter has ruptured his achilles. Stephanie White fielding a question from Indy Star's Chloe Peterson about it. "His spirits are good," White says.
Stretch big Yabusele you have my attention.
Today, yapping about the Pacers 2026 offseason during which up to TEN players could be extension eligible. Quite the setup... also, the draft, free agency for Mathurin, options, and more. Listen: open.spotify.com/episode/3JiH... Watch: www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-xK...
Shey Peddy has signed a third 7-day hardship contract with the Indiana Fever.
(The photo is obviously Shey Peddy, and the photo was originally in the article but was removed but I use those photos to track my social posts so here it is)
Correct, photo of a different hardship player that was in the story but got cut haha. The header of the article is powers
Players with three consecutive games with 5+ rebounds for the Fever this season: -Aliyah Boston -Natasha Howard -Lexie Hull -Sophie Cunningham And... Aerial Powers, in her first three games with the team. On hardship players, the Fever's week, and more: www.thenexthoops.com/features/ind...
"People are saying this is a ‘gap year’ for the Pacers. We don’t view it that way. That’s never been how we’ve operated." What exactly will this season be for the Pacers? www.forbes.com/sites/tonyea...
Fever list Chloe Bibby and Caitlin Clark out for their game tomorrow in Phoenix - on top of the three players who are out for the year.
On the Fever’s week that was, which ended poorly but was defined by hardship successes: www.thenexthoops.com/features/ind...
Atlanta gets their 26th win. Fever now cannot climb higher than them in the standings. Indiana’s final seeding range is currently 4-9.
A gap year? www.forbes.com/sites/tonyea...
I agree
From earlier today, on starter Bennedict Mathurin and what it means for his season ahead. On his play, the Pacers style, the restricted free agency/extension dynamics, and more: www.forbes.com/sites/tonyea...
“It affected the rhythm of the game. I don’t know if it affected the readiness,” Stephanie White says. “We came out and weren’t ready those first 5-6 minutes of the quarter.”
Aerial Powers on the shot clock issues early and if it impacted the game: “I don’t think that’s a part of it. It’s our defense.”
Mitchell*
Fever have scored 75+ points in 36/40 games this year. When they miss the mark, they REALLY miss. The other four games point total: 58, 60, 61, 63 (tonight). Golden State is responsible for 2 of those 4.
Valkyries 75, Fever 63 is the final. Golden State couldn't miss from deep early, and the Fever' ugly offense was never enough to complete a comeback. Fever fall to 21-19 after a nearly 3-hour game. 14 for Mithcell, 13 for Howard. Fever back in 8th place.
Before joining Golden State this season, Iliana Rupert last played for the Atlanta Dream in 2023. She made 6 threes all season. She's made 5 tonight.
Fever had the deficit down to 5. Then, a 6-point GS possession followed by an easy bucket from Leite flipped the momentum. Valkyries up 63-50, Stephanie White calls timeout.
Fever have been better at almost everything but three-point shooting tonight. But they are getting destroyed (GS 10/16, IND 4/26) from deep.
Valkyries 55, Fever 48 after three quarters. Fever gave up 25 in the first quarter, then 30 total since. But offseason hasn't been strong enough to complete a comeback. They need some threes to fall.
Natasha Howard getting going in the lane, and she's headed to the line with a chance to cut the Fever's deficit to 6.
Nearly 100 minutes later, we've reached halftime. The Fever trail 44-32 after Golden State started hot from deep. A no-fun viewing experience.
Game story is just this:
Just an awful viewing experience. It's been 72 minutes!
How is it unfair to the fever
That Temi basket was hilarious.
I don't think so
9/10. Timeout Fever. Good lord.
Golden State now 8/9 from deep. Bad news for the Fever is that the Valkyries can't miss. Good news for the Fever is they saw the Lynx comeback for a win in Indianapolis when the Fever were red-hot from deep.
Statement from the Valkyries: Earlier today the Golden State Valkyries were delayed due to a technical issue with the shot clocks due to a power outage this morning. Game play has resumed, and these issues will be addressed accordingly.
Valkyries 25, Fever 14 after one quarter. The hosts made 7 threes in that quarter - they average 10 makes from deep per game. Fever couldn't get their own offense going, either. Rupert has 9, Mitchell leads Indiana with 4.
22-9 Valkyries and Stephanie White takes a timeout. GS is 6/7 from deep, most of them wide open. That's gotta be cleaned up, but Fever offense is more concerning. Hard for them to get good looks, 4/12 with 5 turnovers.
I'm not certain of specifics as to why there was a failure. That would be a reasonable answer since they played last night.
Electric shooting from Golden State out of the long stoppage and they go on a 12-2 run.
Yeah
Good deep-dive from Tony East into Mathurin's role on the Pacers this upcoming season.
This is completely ridiculous.
Yep, it's a challenging question. If it does "work" and the Pacers haven't changed their style, then just keep him and figure it out. But if they've had to make sacrifices to see his success... still might have to look at trades. The *how* might be the most important part.
With assists from A) @dustindopirak.bsky.social for having audio from a presser I deleted handy and B) @caitlinmaycooper.bsky.social and her podcast with Rick Carlisle, in which the Mathurin starting information was revealed: www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTkN...
Bennedict Mathurin will be a starter for the Pacers this season. I dove into what that means for his, and the Pacers, future - especially contractually: www.forbes.com/sites/tonyea...
haha much appreciated
Sims is playoff eligible on this contract.
Odyssey Sims has officially signed with the Fever on a rest-of-season contract after going through 3 7-day hardship deals with the team.
@theixbasketball.bsky.social
“I had to get those two back-to-back MVPs to even get a chance over here.” Chloe Bibby took a winding road to the WNBA. Doubt crept in. But the work paid off when a call came in at 5 a.m.: www.thenexthoops.com/features/ind...
This is a really nice piece on Chloe, Tony! I love learning more of the story that brought these women into the W!
Great day for you. OSU didn't even play well and beat number 1
That is very true
It’s my favorite
Can I make SEC jokes when IU was super mediocre against Old Dominion?
👍🏽
It’s the middle of the night, and Chloe Bibby’s phone keeps buzzing. It’s annoying her for a moment. Then, it changed her life. How Bibby reached the WNBA and had her dreams come true overnight: www.thenexthoops.com/features/ind...
Is there a time of day that would be too inconvenient to find out that you finally accomplished your dreams? As @tonyreast.bsky.social reports, Fever forward Chloe Bibby's long path to the WNBA led her to find out. www.thenexthoops.com/features/ind...
The Fever have re-signed wing Aerial Powers to another 7-day hardship contract.
Yapping with ref
I'll find a way to do something to keep yapping. Not sure what...
That's the hope and what they're working toward. Impossible to say yes straight up give lack of time, but on court now.
WAY better, I'd say.
Fever 76, Sparks 75. Massive, massive win for the Fever, who are 4 wins ahead of the 9th-place Sparks now. Fever playoff odds now quite high and they're 21-18. Odyssey Sims huge late and finishes with 21 points. Aliyah Boston with 22 and 11. Good Powers minutes, too.
Fever get the massive stop, then heads-up move from Stephanie White to get that timeout off. They're up 1 with 2 seconds left.
Odyssey Sims with quite the up and down game, but she's picked a big time for the ups.
(There will be bigger stretches of time at some point, biggest 43 seconds *so far* more accurate.)
Biggest 43 seconds of the season coming for the Fever. Timeout Sparks in a tie game after a huge Odyssey Sims 3.
This is an awesome game.
Foul is challenged and overturned. So just 4 for Hull. Huge challenge, and Fever get a stop right after.
I can't really say who I'd take out instead. Maybe some w Boston, but they've neeeded Turner's D once again.
5 fouls on Lexie Hull. Significant.
Rae Burrell having a hell of a game, and she was awesome as the Sparks pushed back to close the third quarter. Fever got a little jumper happy and weren't moving the ball well there. It's Sparks 58, Fever 57.
on the bench
Fever current lineup: Sims (hardship), Peddy (hardship), Powers (hardship), Turner, Boston.
10-2 third quarter in favor of the Fever and they lead. Timeout, Spark. Fever keep forcing turnovers and defending well enough, Sparks stopped drilling as many jumpers. Combined with better Fever finishing and it's an Indiana lead.
⌛
Sparks 47, Fever 44 at halftime. LA shooting 55%, including 7 made threes, and it has them ahead. They are making WAY more of their limited chances than the Fever, though Fever are dominating possession battle. Plum, Mitchell, and Boston with 12 each.
Alternatively, get beat by Kelsey Plum a few times in a row.
Fever have taken 14 more shots than the Sparks, keep getting to the line and the rim, taking good threes. Just a matter of time, in my opinion.
Unsuccessful challenge, foul shots for Mitchell.
Foul called as Mitchell takes another layup, and both Hull and Caitlin Clark hopped up to clap after the whistle... but the Sparks are challenging.
Technical foul against the Fever bench after that Kelsey Mitchell layup. Broadcast says it was on Lexie Hull. Mitchell was a little hot after. You never see too much over-the-top stuff from either Hull or Mitchell.
Sparks hit 5 threes in the first quarter and lead the Fever 31-24. Fever did well to get into the paint for much of the quarter, but turnovers (3) and subpar defense (kind) held them back.
Fever have already taken 15 (!) shots from 7 feet and in. It's been 7 minutes. Playing offense exactly how they should want... and it says a lot about their defense that LA leads by 7.
Fever with a bunch of shots they'll be happy to be creating and pissed about missing. Nine shots, all in mostly close, and they're 2/9.
