The Indiana Fever entered Saturday’s home matchup against the undefeated New York Liberty in desperate need of a win.
The Fever entered 4-5 on the season and just 2-3 in their previous five games, all without star guard Caitlin Clark.
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Clark returned to the lineup on Saturday against the Liberty and reminded the league just how good she is. The 6-foot guard dropped 25 points in the first half and finished with 32 points, nine assists and eight rebounds to lead the Fever to a huge 102-88 victory, handing the defending champion Liberty their first loss of the season.
That performance catapulted the Fever into an elite tier of teams in the latest WNBA power rankings from The Athletic.
Indiana Fever slot in updated WNBA power rankings
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) high-fives fans after scoring a 3-pointer Saturday, June 14, 2025, during a game between the Indiana Fever and the New York Liberty at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
The Fever jumped from fifth to third in the latest power rankings from The Athletic following their big win over the Liberty.
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The Liberty kept their spot at No. 1 on the list, followed closely by the Minnesota Lynx. The Fever take the third spot, followed by the Atlanta Dream and Seattle Storm to close out the top five. Kate Martin’s Golden State Valkyries came in at the No. 7 spot of this week’s power rankings.
The Athletic praised the Fever’s small lineup after its success against the Liberty:
In their win against New York, the Fever elected to play starting power forward Natasha Howard for 14 minutes and leave one big on the court for most of the game. The Liberty were missing Jones and 6-foot-4 Fiebich, so they didn’t have the size to punish Indiana the way they’ve done to other opponents during the regular season, but most teams aren’t as big as New York anyway.
Instead, the Fever spaced the floor with Sophie Cunningham or Lexie Hull as the nominal four, forcing the Liberty to defend in space. Indiana attempted 35 3-pointers, its most of the season (the previous high was 28), and outscored New York by 33 points from beyond the arc. The Fever lost the points-in-the-paint battle by only eight and outrebounded the Liberty, making it a worthy trade-off.
It should be clear that this identity works for Indiana, not a mashing, two-big unit that is more physical than its opponents. The Fever play fast and shoot early in the clock, and it would behoove the front office to balance the roster in that direction. They can trade a big for a small or simply sign another wing later in the season when they have the cap space for a 12th player. Even against a team as big as New York, Indiana should play to its strengths and not try to match those of its opponent. – Sabreena Merchant, The Athletic
The Fever will continue their pursuit of the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup on Tuesday when they host the Connecticut Sun (2-8).
Following that game, the Fever hit the road for a pair of dates against Kate Martin and the Valkyries (5-5) on Thursday before matching up with the Las Vegas Aces (5-5) on Sunday.
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With Clark back in the lineup and a marquee victory under their belt, the Fever will look to continue their momentum and to keep climbing the power rankings.
This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Caitlin Clark return fuels WNBA power rankings rise from The Athletic
