Brunt: Injuries make Indiana Fever title run seem like an eternity ago
By CLIFF BRUNT
ISL Editor
INDIANAPOLIS — Reality can be very unkind.
The Indiana Fever were hoping to build momentum after their 2012 WNBA title run and instead, they’ve been plagued by injuries.
Katie Douglas is day-to-day with a bulging disk in her lower back. Jessica Davenport (left tibia stress fracture), Erin Phillips (torn right meniscus) and Jeanette Pohlen (torn left ACL) all are expected to remain out of action until at least midseason.
Indiana lost again on Wednesday, dropping a 73-61 decision to the Connecticut Sun for their fourth straight defeat.
By the looks of things, you would have thought that title run was five years ago.
It was obvious where the Fever missed their multiple injured players on Wednesday. With 6-foot-5 center Davenport out, they couldn’t stop Connecticut’s Tina Charles. The Sun’s MVP-caliber center had 30 points and 10 rebounds and made 13 of 17 shots. The Fever played behind her most of the game and she simply had her way, moving Indiana’s smaller players around at will. The Fever then started fronting her down low, which helped, but Indiana had gotten so far behind that it put everything into getting remotely close in the fourth quarter. Erlana Larkins, while tough, is simply too small for Charles.
The injuries to Douglas, Phillips and Pohlen erase most of Indiana’s 3-point shooting. The Fever went 4-for-14 from beyond the arc on Wednesday.
The missing outside threats hurt Indiana’s rhythm inside the arc. The Fever also struggled to finish on the fast break, an area where Douglas’ absence is a really big deal. She is an excellent finisher and trailer, and without her, the team’s options are much more limited.
There are other problems. Connecticut’s ageless wonder, Kara Lawson, outplayed Indiana’s Briann January. Though January is considered one of the league’s rising stars, she struggled with missed layups and occasionally misconnected with teammates. Some of it is understandable — Layshia Clarendon, a rookie, is starting because of the injuries, and Sasha Goodlett and Karima Christmas, who normally would be role players, combined for 38 minutes on Wednesday. Plus, January is one of Indiana’s best remaining players, so she’s getting more attention from opponents than usual. Still, she will need to find her way soon. Expectations are higher now.
I’m going to take a moment to give Christmas some credit. She was the primary reason Indiana had a chance against Connecticut. She had eight rebounds and was a constant thorn in the Sun’s side. But today’s WNBA is just too good. Scrappiness and want to alone won’t win you games.
Longtime point guard Tully Bevilaqua showed up Wednesday to lend some support. The Fever need to seriously consider giving the 40-year-old newlywed a jersey. Her steadiness, toughness and leadership could help right now. I’m not kidding. Sign her up.
Tamika Catchings, who was hoping for a repeat, has very little help right now. January, Larkins and Shavonte Zellous excelled offensively last season, but they benefitted greatly from the team’s outside threats.
Indiana still plays solid defense. Aside from Charles, the rest of the Sun’s players shot 19-for-46 on Wednesday. Indiana forced 17 turnovers and still remains an intense, engaged group. But the offense is what is failing the Fever now. Indiana has scored 68 points or fewer for three straight games, shooting 36.6, 37.3 and 34.3 percent from the field in those contests.
Catchings shot a combined 15-for-53 from the field in those three losses. She has reverted to the player who forced things earlier in her career because she didn’t have the help. The player she had become the past few years — the one who could afford to pull back occasionally to be a facilitator and even relax a bit so she could turn it on when needed — is gone for now. As amazing a player as she is, she is not equipped at age 33 to carry so much of the load. It’s hard to watch her go through this because she’s earned the right to not be in this place anymore.
Now, Indiana has to hope it doesn’t fall too far out of the playoff picture. The Fever could still recover, sneak in as a No. 4 seed and crash someone’s party, but right now, it’s not even time to worry about the playoffs. Playoffs? The Fever need to just win a game.
