The Indiana Fever suffered a tough loss against the Golden State Valkyries in San Francisco, falling 75-63. The result put them in a difficult spot with the WNBA playoffs in sight. Indiana dropped to 21-19, and with Caitlin Clark still sidelined, their postseason push has become even more complicated.

The defeat against the Valkyries means they can no longer catch the Aces. Indiana’s seeding range shifted to 3-9. Meanwhile, the Dream toppled the Sun to reach 26 wins, which also put them out of reach for the Fever. As it stands, Indiana’s potential seeding is now between 4-9.

For Indiana, the path became less comfortable. At 21-19, the Fever currently hold the final postseason spot but face pressure from the Sparks, who trail closely at 18-20. Los Angeles owns the 4-0 head-to-head tiebreaker, a critical advantage if both teams finished with the same record. The Fever still control their playoff fate, but the margin for error is gone.

Teams already qualified and current standings

Four teams have already secured their WNBA playoff spots with their focus locked on the postseason: the Minnesota Lynx, Las Vegas Aces, Atlanta Dream, and Phoenix Mercury. Meanwhile, the Washington Mystics, Connecticut Sun, Chicago Sky, and Dallas Wings are already eliminated. Following Sunday’s results, the updated standings looked like this:

Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever.
  • Minnesota Lynx: 31-8 (qualified)
  • Las Vegas Aces: 26-14 (qualified)
  • Atlanta Dream: 25-14 (qualified)
  • Phoenix Mercury: 25-14 (qualified)
  • New York Liberty: 24-16
  • Golden State Valkyries: 21-18
  • Seattle Storm: 22-19
  • Indiana Fever: 21-19
  • Los Angeles Sparks: 18-20

Clark’s absence takes its toll

Since Clark’s injury, Indiana lacked the spark and presence she consistently brought to the floor. Her impact was undeniable and remained evident in every game. Against the Valkyries, Kelsey Mitchell led the Fever with 14 points and three assists, but it wasn’t enough to counter Iliana Rupert, who dropped 21 points for Golden State. The result underscored how much Indiana continued to miss Clark’s influence.