First the Indiana Fever lost their generational star Caitlin Clark to injuries, eventually ruled out for the rest of the season. But they didn't fold. Then they lost two starters to injuries in the same game. But they didn't fold. Then they lost Sophie Cunningham for the season to an injury.
And others stepped up. Kelsey Mitchell and Aliyah Boston were already stars, but they took on more responsibilities--and Mitchell was certainly a legitimate candidate for the league MVP. Natasha Howard, Lexie Hull and others expanded their roles. With so many injuries, the team brought on new players midstream, with retired star Odyssey Sims a standout.
With at least five major injuries, the Fever wasn't supposed to make the playoffs. But they did. They weren't supposed to win the first round, but they did. Then in the semi-finals they took the defending champion Las Vegas Aces to game 5 in the 5 game series on Tuesday night. In the third quarter, their scoring star Kelsey Mitchell was lost for the rest of the game with a leg cramp and possibly more.
But the Fever did not fold. In the final seconds, Odyssey Sims (who led the Fever with 27 points) hit a crucial free throw and a bucket to tie the game. It took overtime before the Aces could defeat them. The Fever is one heroic team.
With the heavily favored Minnesota Lynx knocked out of the playoffs, the Aces are probably the favorites now. But next year? With Caitlin Clark back, Sophie Cunningham back, with eye-openers like the indomitable Lexie Hull and the resurgent Odyssey Sims (if they can sign her), and with playoff seasoned Mitchell, Boston and Howard--things look very good for the Fever to be dominant.
The Golden State Valkyries are likely to be improved as well, though their historic run to the playoffs in their first year of existence ended quickly in the first round. They start out with a ton of money, a huge fan base and the league's Coach of the Year.
The league itself is likely to be in flux. Coaches and players are now in open rebellion against the league leadership, especially on the issue of the officiating. Plus players across the league will be negotiating for major upgrades in their contracts. It's likely to be a very consequential off-season, with major changes likely.
Meanwhile, NBA pre-season camps have started. The Golden State Warriors finally came to terms with off-season-long holdout Jonathan Kuminga, sweetening their two-year offer but retaining the team option. During the summer it became obvious that Kuminga doesn't want to be a Warrior, and the Warriors won't want the drama. Everyone expects the contract is a preliminary to a trade, though there will be a lot of basketball played before that's possible in January, and Coach Kerr seems committed to giving Kuminga his opportunities early in the season.
The Warriors were finally able to round out their roster. They added veteran center Al Horford and shooting guard De Anthony Melton, re-signed Gary Payton II, and brought on the other Curry brother, sharpshooter Seth Curry. This could be a fun team, at the very least.
Meanwhile also, the MLB playoffs have begun. Everyone will be watching the classic Red Sox-Yankees matchup, with the Dodgers well positioned to represented the NL in the World Series. But there's a lot of baseball before that. The SF Giants started the second half of the season with a long losing streak, followed by a long winning streak, and alternated the two until losing out on a playoff berth in September. The Pittsburgh Pirates were an entertaining spoiler in the last several months, but there's no predicting what the team will look like next year.
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