The Indiana Fever have done it again. Down in a playoff series and playing in a decisive Game 3 — on the road, no less — the Fever rose to the occasion, let their experience take over, and came out on top over the New York Liberty.
I’m not just talking about this postseason. Go back to 2012, when they had a special playoff run to their first WNBA Championship in franchise history. (The Fever lost in 2009 to the Phoenix Mercury, 3-2.)
They weren’t the top seed in the Eastern Conference and they fell behind in both the conference semi-finals and finals. Just like in 2012, they won Games 2 and 3, the latter on the road in the conference finals, to earn a trip to the finals. They became the only champion in league history to come back from a 1-0 deficit in Rounds 1 and 2.
And now, they have another shot for the only hardware that matters: a WNBA Championship.
Eastern Conference Champs, the @IndianaFever! pic.twitter.com/170sVRF4k8
— WNBA (@WNBA) September 30, 2015
66-51 was the final, in front of an announced crowd of 10,120 at Madison Square Garden.
[Click here to see the boxscore.]
Stephanie White took over the reigns as head coach, her first head coaching job, from Lin Dunn after four years beside her on the bench, and much of the talk in the preseason was how she wanted to speed up the offense (like the Pacers plan to do). But when it counted, deep in the playoffs, it was their staple play at the defensive end that led them to a double-digit victory.
The Fever, who shot 49 percent for the game, held the Liberty to 22 first-half points — the second-fewest by a Fever playoff opponent in any half in franchise history — and below 27 percent shooting. For the game, the Liberty managed just 55 points on 33 percent shooting.
“She’s a winner,” Fever President Kelly Krauskopf said of White on the ESPN broadcast. “This is somebody who’s never sat in the first chair and now here we are going to the finals and we’re not done yet.”
The Fever led by 11 in the first half and it ballooned to as many as 18 points in third period after All-Star Marissa Coleman, who signed with the team prior to the 2014 season, buried three from deep. She was 5-for-7 from range and led the Fever with 15 points.
The home Liberty refused to go away and got to within four points, 49-45, with 8:21 to play. With Erlana Larkins back on the floor, the Fever then scored 10 unanswered points and never again did they allow the Liberty to get within single-digits.
Larkins was a player Krauskopf found and signed in 2012. Larkins was drafted by the Liberty in 2008 but had been out of the league for three years. That year, her play was key to the title — and she has played an integral part again this postseason. Larkins finished around the hoop (12 points), battled on the boards (eight rebounds), and had some nifty passes (four assists).
With 3:19 to play, the game essentially in hand, Briann January (eight points, eight assists) finished an impressive reverse layup.
Catchings, Larkins, January, plus Zellous off the bench. Notice anything?
Those four were instrumental in the franchise winning its first in 2012. Now, they are hungry for another one. (Krauskopf deserves a lot of credit here, in addition to eventually naming White head coach.)
The Fever limited the play of Liberty center Tina Charles, the 2012 WNBA MVP. She had fewer touches than she liked and scored just 13 points on 6-of-16 shooting. Epiphanny Prince was awfully quiet, going 2-of-11 for six points. Indiana won three quarters and were outscored in the third by only two points.
They’ll need to carry that defense into Minnesota, in a series that begins on Sunday at 3 p.m. ET.
Coach White finished runner-up to New York’s Bill Laimbeer in Coach of the Year voting but she got the last laugh as her team prevailed in the conference finals. White becomes the first WNBA rookie head coach to reach the Finals. White, who led the Fever to 20 wins during the regular season, deserved the honor but will much rather take a WNBA Finals appearance.
“It’s Tamika willpower and leadership,” White said of her team, which is 4-0 this postseason in elimination games. “We have experienced players that have been a part of a championship team before and understand what it takes. And, at the end of the day, we have a group that just works so hard for one another.”
Tamika Catchings played nearly 35 minutes, drew several charges, and helped the team maintain composure late as the Liberty kept pushing.
“It’s a blessing every single day to be able to come out,” said Catchings, who had 14 points and four rebounds. “Everybody always asks, why do you play? I play for them [my teammates]. I play for the people that are here, the organization, and the people that consistently have been behind me.”
Catchings, who has been with the Fever and only the Fever since 2001, plans to retire after next season. Led by No. 24, Indiana will look to do exactly what they did in 2012: As the underdog, go in and upset the top seed in the Western Conference.
Fans are invited to the Indianapolis International Airport on Wednesday to welcome the team home. Be in the Civic Plaza (the food court area) by 10:45 a.m.
(With Game 3 of the WNBA Finals set for Friday, Oct. 9, the Pacers have moved their third exhibition game with the Orlando Magic, originally scheduled for that Friday, to the night before: Thursday, Oct. 8 at 7:00 p.m.)
WNBA Finals Schedule:
Game 1 – Sun., October 4 Indiana at Minnesota 3:00PM ABC
Game 2 – Tue., October 6 Indiana at Minnesota 8:00PM ESPN2
Game 3 – Fri October 9 Minnesota at Indiana 8:00PM ESPN2
Game 4 * Sun October 11 Minnesota at Indiana 8:30PM ESPN
Game 5 * Wed October 14 Indiana at Minnesota 8:00PM ESPN2
*if necessary
"@SpikeLee was yellin my name before game. I just winked at him."
– @Catchin24 on Game 3@IndianaFever #WeAreFever pic.twitter.com/WU2seokZRR— Kevin Messenger (@kmess65) September 30, 2015
Congrats @Catchin24 and the Indiana Fever, another trip to the WNBA Finals.. BALLERS.. #SitYoAssDownSpike pic.twitter.com/Sq6NUDmYwQ
— Reggie Miller (@ReggieMillerTNT) September 30, 2015
Cmon Catch! Get you another one! #FeverNation
— Paul George (@Yg_Trece) September 30, 2015
Watch Chris Denari’s recap from New York: