It’s part of the process of building a championship team.
The Fever went on a run late in the fourth quarter on Wednesday night, making you think a Game 3 win could happen. A win would line up a winner-take-all third game, which would take place at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, home of the Fever. But the Connecticut Sun put a kibosh of all that after an 87-81 Game 2 victory at Mohegan Sun Arena, resulting in a first-round sweep of the upstart Fever.
Still, the Fever showed they are not that far off from winning a championship. Caitlin Clark played a role in that Fever run by shooting a jumper and a 3-pointer to cap off an excellent 25-point night. Aliyah Boston showed she would only get better in the paint when she made a couple of layups to give the Fever a 75-73 and 77-75 lead, completing a 16-point performance.
It is encouraging that their two core stars showed mettle in leading a comeback after the team trailed 68-59 when it appeared it would be a lost cause. Remember, before this run in the fourth quarter, the Fever trailed in all seven quarters in two playoff games combined. They finished the fourth quarter by outscoring the Sun 29-26, their only lead in the series.
You bet Clark and Boston will be better for it. Both have been known to work on their games in the offseason, so they know what it will take to be even better in the playoffs next year. TThosetwo clicked well after the Olympic break, showing what they will do for many years. If Boston continues improving her shooting, this will even boost the fever.
If there is something we learned about the Fever in this series, it’s that they need to improve their shooting. Some will come from within, such as Clark, Boston, and Lexi Hull, who have room for improvement. Some will have to come from outside, such as free agency and trade. Resigning Kelsey Mitchell has to be job one.
You can also bet that the newly hired Fever president, Kelly Krauskopf, is aware of that. She oversaw a 2012 WNBA Fever championship team featuring Tamika Catchings. She oversaw the Fever, playing in three WNBA Finals and 13 postseason appearances. Her experience rebuilding the NBA’s Indiana Pacers on the fly will be helpful. She has a clue about how to improve the Fever team.
As great as the Fever showed down the stretch, the Sun did it even better. They knew what to do. They went through the playoff wars over the years to not be rattled by the fever. Their experience served them well as they made shots down the stretch to finish off the Fever. In this series, the Sun boasted better shooters than the Fever, and that’s why they are advancing to play the Minnesota Lynx in the WNBA semifinals on Sunday at Target Center.
Marina Mabrey and DeWanna Bonner gave the Sun shots when they needed them the most. After acquiring Mabrey from the Chicago Sky in midseason, the Sun can win it all, as seen by her contributions.
The Sun is more than just a defensive team. They added firepower on offense with Mabrey. They certainly have enough shooters to offset the Lynx and the winner of the Las Vegas Aces/New York Liberty semifinals matchup. They should be encouraged by how they played in those two games. They knew what they were doing. Meanwhile, the Fever will get better with experience. It wasn’t long ago the Sun was in Fever’s place.
It would have been nice to see a Game 3. It would have been fun to see what Clark and Boston could have done in a winner-take-all, but it would have been a ratings killer. But we also learn that sports are not fairy tales. There will always be a team or someone who is disappointed. That’s the real world.
The Fever has so much to be proud of. They showed character by playing well after the Olympic break. They certainly didn’t quit on each other and head coach Christie Sides after a 1-8 start. The players figured each other out, and everything came together.
This playoff performance may have been bittersweet for the Fever, but the big picture is the needle is moving up for the Fever and Clark to eventually taste a championship. A game like this is part of the process.
Clark, Boston, and the Fever know there will be more good endings than they experienced Wednesday night.
