The Indiana Fever is back in the playoffs at last. Fueled by guard Caitlin Clark‘s record-breaking rookie season, the Fever will play postseason basketball for the first time in eight years — but it hasn’t been smooth sailing to get there, and the going only gets tougher as expectations rise.

The Fever have been arguably the WNBA‘s most-hyped team in 2024, as Indiana saw its national profile rise significantly after it selected Clark #1 overall in the WNBA Draft. With so many national broadcasts and a heap of attention from national media, Indiana has become a target, heavily-scrutinized despite its modest 20-19 record.

Aliyah Boston in the eye of the storm

A new controversy surrounding the Fever centers on Clark’s All-Star teammate Aliyah Boston, the top pick in the 2023 WNBA Draft. The much-anticipated Boston-Clark partnership hasn’t been quite as devastating as expected — Boston’s offensive efficiency has taken a hit in her second WNBA season, and a scrap with Dallas Wings center Teaira McCowan has painted the South Carolina product in a negative light.

The incident occurred at the very end of the Fever’s regular-season home finale, a nail-biting 110-109 win over the Wings. Boston and McCowan were jostling for position under the basket when McCowan shoved Boston, warranting a second technical foul and an instant ejection.

But a closer look at the play reveals that Boston tugged subtly on McCowan’s arm — which fans believe prompted the Dallas big to lash out.

A lot of responsibility has been placed on Clark’s shoulders during her rookie year. As the point guard and floor general, Clark has to succeed on and off the court. The 22-year-old already has the W’s single-season assists record; now, Clark has to calm the waters and remind her teammates (and herself) on the task at hand as they close the regular season with a visit to the Washington Mystics on Thursday.