Indiana Fever, Caitlin Clark ready for WNBA playoffs, Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle calls team ascent 'great'

Clark and the Fever finished 20-20

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) rushes up the court Friday, July 12, 2024, during the game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The Indiana Fever defeated the Phoenix Mercury, 95-86. / Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever wrapped up their 2024 regular season on Thursday night after battling the Washington Mystics. The Fever, who entered the day 20-19, are postseason bound for the first time since 2016.

Many Indiana Pacers, including Tyrese Haliburton, Obi Toppin, Aaron Nesmith, Myles Turner, and more have been courtside for Fever action recently. Haliburton is the most frequent visitor, and as a point guard, he praises Clark often.

"Hope y’all seeing what 22 doin at Gainbridge," Haliburton tweeted earlier this season.

The Fever fell to the Mystics Thursday, but the game didn't matter to them. Their playoff seed — sixth overall — and their draft slot was already secured entering the game. Indiana's starters, including Clark, played the first half and some of the third quarter before exiting the night permanently. They play the Connecticut Sun in the first round of the postseason.

"Those guys can play some defense. We've got to be ready," Fever head coach Christie Sides said of the Sun.

Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle, who sat courtside for a Fever game in Dallas a few weeks ago, commented on the success of the WNBA squad earlier this week during an interview on The Wake Up Call on 107.5 The Fan.

"It's been great to see," Carlisle said of the Fever's ascent. He loves that the team is filling arenas all over the country. "I give Christie Sides a lot of credit, because that schedule they had to open the season was just brutal... it's been awesome."

The Fever open up the postseason at 3 p.m. this coming Sunday in Connecticut. Game 2 will be on Wednesday. Clark finished her rookie season with averages of 19.2 points and 8.4 assists per game while her team went 20-20.

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