2024 WNBA Playoff Preview: #3 Connecticut Sun Vs. #6 Indiana Fever

2024 WNBA Playoff Preview: #3 Connecticut Sun Vs. #6 Indiana Fever

Welcome to the first year of WNBA playoff preview coverage here at Vendetta Sports Media. This matchup is between the No. 3 Connecticut Sun and the No. 6 Indiana Fever. This series features some star power and the Sun could be a sneaky WNBA Finals team if slept on. The Sun won the regular season series against the Fever 3-1. Connecticut won the first 3 matchups and the Fever won the last matchup. This is the first time the Indiana Fever has returned to the playoffs since 2016.

This 2024 WNBA first-round series will get underway on Sunday, Sept. 22, at 3:00 PM EST on ABC. Let’s check out the details of this WNBA playoff preview and what makes this such an interesting series.

GAME	DATE	MATCHUP	TIME	TV
Game 1	Sunday, September 22nd	Indiana @ Connecticut	3:00 PM EST	ABC
Game 2	Wednesday, September 25th	Indiana @ Connecticut	7:30 PM EST	ESPN
Game 3*	Friday, September 27th	Connecticut @ Indiana	TBA	ESPN

* – if necessary

What to know about the Connecticut Sun:

Notable starters:

• G: Tyasha Harris
• G: DiJonai Carrington
• F: Brionna Jones
• F: Alyssa Thomas
• C: DeWanna Bonner

Rotational players:

• G: Marina Mabrey
• G: Veronica Burton
• G: Tiffany Mitchell
• F: Olivia Nelson-Ododa

First off, we have the Connecticut Sun in this WNBA playoff preview. This team was one of the better teams in the WNBA already, but they became a legit threat once they traded for Marina Mabrey. She makes the Sun that much more dangerous with her guard play and is a considerable upgrade from the second squad guards in Veronica Burton and Tiffany Mitchell. Not only that, Mabrey is one of the better 3-point shooters in the WNBA. For players attempting 6 3s or more, she is 3rd in 3-point percentage at 37.7 percent. Since joining the Sun, she has shot 42.4% from 3.

DeWanna Bonner is THE veteran on the team. Despite being five years older than everyone else on the team, she leads the team in scoring and 2nd in rebounding. They’ll rely on her presence to guide them through this series. However, the do-it-all player for the Sun is Alyssa Thomas. She averages 10.6 PPG, leads the team in rebounding and assists with 8.4 RPG and 7.9 APG respectively. Whatever the team needs, Alyssa Thomas will do. She’s the best player on the team.

DiJonai Carrington is very important in this series, she’s the best defender on the team and probably in the WNBA. I’ll let you use your context clues to figure out why her defending is important before I talk about it later. She plays defense like her life depends on it. She recently just became better offensively and now her ability to score and play defense is so underrated for this team.

The Sun will rely on those 4 and Brionna Jones and Tyasha Harris to handle most of the scoring. Olivia Nelson-Ododa has to be sharp with her minutes to help this team. Alyssa Thomas and DeWanna Bonner are crucial to this team and with Aliyah Boston and NaLyssa Smith facing them, she will have to do her part in containing them. If she can increase her scoring output and rebounding while containing those two, she will be beneficial to this Sun team.

What to know about the Indiana Fever:

Notable starters:

• G: Caitlin Clark
• G: Kelsey Mitchell
• G: Lexie Hull
• F: Aliyah Boston
• F: NaLyssa Smith

Rotational players:

• G: Erica Wheeler
• G: Kristy Wallace
• F: Katie Lou Samuelson
• F: Damiris Dantas
• C: Temi Fagbenle

Next, we have the Indiana Fever in this WNBA playoff preview. Well, I can think of at least one reason why the Fever got back to the playoffs for the first time in eight years, one of the reasons has to be Caitlin Clark. That’s not the only reason though. Kelsey Mitchell has always been a great player, but now the Fever added Clark without a dip in Mitchell’s production and this team became better. This team was a rough watch even with Clark at the beginning of the season. However, the team finally started meshing well together. After starting the season 3-10, the Fever ended the season 20-20 and .500 for the year.

Clark and Kelsey Mitchell do a lot of the heavy lifting when it comes to scoring for this team. With both averaging about 19 PPG, this team relies on them heavily to score the ball, and the nights when the jumpers don’t fall, it can be ugly for the Fever. However, Aliyah Boston and NaLyssa Smith do their fair share in the scoring department with both averaging double figures. It looks very bleak after that though.

Outside of those four, everyone else will have to play their role at a high level to contain the 3rd seed in the WNBA in the Sun. I can see Temi Fagbenle and Katie Lou Samuelson getting a lot of minutes in this series to throw different looks at DeWanna Bonner and Alyssa Thomas. There might be a scenario where Temi or Lou Samuelson start over Lexie Hull to help accommodate for height and contain AT, Bonner, and even Mabrey on the perimeter.

There are a few things I would do for the Fever as non-negotiables. 1. Either Clark or Kelsey Mitchell are on the floor at all times and both on the floor in key moments. Same thing with NaLyssa Smith and Aliyah Boston. Two of the best four players should be on the floor at all times. They don’t have a shot at winning if they don’t. Christie Sides’ lineups have to be methodical and deliberate to help contain this Sun team.

Biggest questions:

1. How well can DiJonai Carrington contain Kelsey Mitchell or Caitlin Clark?

As mentioned, DiJonai Carrington plays such a vital role in this series. I mentioned that Clark and Mitchell are the heavy lifters on this Fever team for scoring. If she can get them out of rhythm, it might be wraps for the Fever. With Caitlin Clark’s ability to pass, as well as shoot, I almost tell Carrington to face-guard her and make someone else on the team beat you. I would think about sitting Carrington if Clark isn’t in, but if the Sun has to put her on Mitchell when Clark isn’t in, I’m not going to argue. Have to use her as much as you can against Clark though.

2. How much of an impact can Temi Fagbenle make for the Fever?

I would argue that Temi Fagbenle might be the Fever’s X-Factor. We are aware of what Clark, Mitchell, Boston, and Smith can do, but who is going to step up for the Fever to help them win this series? My bet is on Temi. Her length will be crucial for the Fever and I would consider starting her over Lexie Hull. With a formidable trio for the Sun in Bonner, Jones, and Alyssa Thomas, you will have to accommodate for them and force them to look elsewhere other than the paint to stop them. Temi gives you the best chance at that. Let her focus mostly on blocking and rebounding, let Smith and Boston pick up after that. The Fever will need Boston and Smith to increase their scoring output, which will mean they will need help on the defensive end for energy. Temi Fagbenle is key for this Fever team.

3. Will Christie Sides be outcoached again?

Christie Sides almost looked like she was on the verge of being fired after starting the season 3-10 with the polarizing Caitlin Clark. While the team wasn’t playing well at the beginning of the season, Sides definitely did not help that with her bone-headed coaching decisions. She had Clark playing off-ball as a shooter instead of putting the ball in her hands and being a playmaker. An underrated part of Clark’s game is her vision and her ability to pass. Once Sides figured that out and let Clark play her game, the Fever did better, go figure.

It took numerous games to figure that out, she only has 2 games to win one and then try to win another one. I have given ideas of what I would do to stop this Sun team, but I’m not sure she will listen to me. I’m afraid if she doesn’t she will be outcoached and it might be a quick 2 games for the Fever before they are eliminated from the playoffs.

Cam Newton Offers Harsh Take On Caitlin Clark

Predictions:

This is the first playoff series for the Fever in 8 years. This is the first playoff series for Clark, Boston, and Mitchell. There are going to be some growing pains playing against an older seasoned team like the Sun. I do believe that the Fever is on the outside looking in to win the series (way outside, like looking through a sniper scope outside). However, I do think the Fever somehow snag one game out of this series just based on Kelsey Mitchell and Caitlin Clark. I think it’ll go Sun blowout win, Fever close win, and then Sun blowout win. The Sun is too good to not win this series and the Fever is simply not good enough yet.

Prediction: Connecticut Sun in 3

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