Indiana Fever plays in the Eastern Conference of the WNBA and was established in 1999 and played their first season in 2000. The Fever play their home games in the Gainbridge Fieldhouse and have broken all the attendance records in the 2024 season. The young Fever squad has led them back to the playoffs for the first time in eight years and will be a team to look out for. The Fever built this roster from scratch and drafted Kelsey Mitchell in 2018, NaLyssa Smith and Lexie Hull in 2022, Aliyah Boston in 2023 and Caitlin Clark in 2024.
How many times has the Indiana Fever made the playoffs?
Indiana Fever has made the playoffs 14 times in their history. Their first playoff appearance came in 2002 when they lost in the Eastern Conference semifinals against the New York Liberty. The Fever had a successful spell of 12 consecutive appearances from 2005 to 2016 which was led by the Fever legend Tamika Catchings.
Indiana Fever’s latest playoff appearance will come in 2024 as they made their first playoffs since 2016. Caitlin Clark, Kelsey Mitchell and Aliyah Boston combined with good players in Lexie Hull and NaLyssa Smith helped the Fever bounce back and break the drought of missing the playoffs for eight consecutive years.
Indiana Fever’s Playoff Record
Indiana Fever has an overall record of 35-33 in the playoffs (Data before the 2024 playoffs). The Fever had a rivalry with the New York Liberty and the Detroit Shock in the Eastern Conference.
Indiana Fever also had a fierce rivalry with Cheryl Reeve’s Minnesota Lynx as the team faced each other twice in the WNBA Finals in 2012 and 2015. In 2012, the Fever defeated the Lynx to win their first WNBA championship. However, in 2015, the Lynx got their revenge by defeating the Fever to claim the WNBA title.
Indiana Fever’s Conference Finals Wins
Indiana Fever has won three Eastern Conference titles in their history. They won in 2009, 2012 and 2015. They defeated the Detroit Shocks in 2009 to make their first WNBA Finals appearance. In 2012, the Fever defeated the Connecticut Sun and took revenge for the 2005 Eastern Conference finals loss. In 2015, the Fever defeated the New York Liberty by 2-1 games and made their third WNBA Finals appearance.
Indiana Fever’s Championship Wins
Indiana Fever won the 2012 WNBA Championship after defeating the Minnesota Lynx by 3–1 in a best-of-five series. Tamika Catching was named the 2012 WNBA Finals MVP as she averaged 22.3 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game in the finals series.
| Year | Team | Against | Head Coach | Finals Score | Finals MVP |
| 2012 | Indiana Fever | Minnesota Lynx | Linn Dunn | 3-1 | Tamika Catchings |
Indiana Fever’s Last Playoff Appearance
Indiana Fever’s last playoff appearance came in 2016 where they faced the Phoenix Mercury in a new playoff format. They played off in a single-elimination game and the Fever were defeated 89-78. Tamika Catchings led a strong fight with a 13-point and 10-rebound double-double. Strong performances by Diana Taurasi, Brittney Griner and DeWanna Bonner led the Mercury to the second round.
What is the biggest playoff series comeback in the Indiana Fever’s history?
Indiana Fever’s biggest playoff win came against the former champions Minnesota Lynx in the 2012 WNBA Finals. The Minnesota Lynx had two of the best scorers in the league in Maya Moore and Seimone Augustus, a top-rebounder in Rebekkah Brunson and the league’s best point guard in Lindsay Whalen. The team also had Taj McWilliams-Franklin who was one of the best shot-blockers in the league.
Indiana Fever faced adversity as they lost Katie Douglas to an injury who was one of the best scorers and three-point shooters in the league. She had shot 42.3% on 5.9 attempts per game in the league. Despite a big loss, Fever won game 1 on the road by 76-70. The Lynx fought back and won game 2 before the series headed to Indiana for the next two games. The Fever shocked the Lynx with a blowout victory in game 3 by 76-59 and took a crucial lead heading into game 4. Shavonte Zellous dropped a 30-point bomb and Erika Larkins’ double-double in game 3 has swung the advantage in Fever’s side.
In game 4, the Fever’s offense led them to a nine-point victory over the Lynx. They displayed a well-rounded two-way game where they shut down Seimone Augustus to 3-21 shooting from the field and on the other hand, Fever had four starters with 15 or more points. After defeating the previous year's champions by 3-1 without Katie Douglas is one of the best moments in Fever’s playoff history.
FAQs on Indiana Fever's Playoff History
A. Indiana Fever's last WNBA Finals appearance came in 2015.
A. Yes, Indiana Fever has won an WNBA Championship as they defeated the Minnesota Lynx in the 2012 Finals
A. Indiana Fever has a 35-33 record in the playoffs prior to the 2024 season.
A. Minnesota Lynx is considered to be one off the biggest rivals of Indiana Fever. In recent times, Chicago Sky has also ignited a rivalry against the Indiana Fever.
