On June 27 th the Indiana Fever entered Gainbridge Fieldhouse with playoff hope flickering, buoyed by a streak of alternating wins and losses that had left them just below the .500 mark. The flailing Los Angeles Sparks appeared to be in need of taking. However, since it happened during three quarters of tough, hard-nosed basketball, and a strong third quarter especially, it was the game-ending collapse by Indiana in the fourth quarter that shocked the fans, and may end up scarred onto their post season goals.
An encouraging Trigger Turns Sour
The third-quarter showing by Indiana was electric. Out of the 33 points they had in the first half, the Fever went off in the third, scoring 24 and taking advantage of turnovers and mid-range and beyond rhythm. The scoring output of Kelsey Mitchell was coupled with the interior presence of Aliyah Boston and a late run by Aari McDonald that enabled the Fever to establish a manageable lead. The atmosphere in the home crowd could experience the tipping point.
The Hoosiers went into the last 10 minutes of play just looking to end their recent streak of inconsistency and give themselves a much-needed win. Rather, the fourth quarter was a lesson on how opportunity, defense, and mind slip-ups should not be done. The Fever lost the final quarter 35-17 as they collapsed to enable Los Angeles reverse the game script and stroll to a dramatic 85-75 victory.
A Pattern the Fever Can’t Shake
This isn’t the first time the Fever have faltered late. Over the past five games, they’ve shown flashes of playoff-caliber basketball—most notably in wins against the Liberty and Sun—but have also suffered collapses against Seattle, Vegas, and now L.A. What’s especially concerning is the timing and manner of these losses.
Azura Stevens and Kelsey Plum lead the Sparks to a win over the Fever 👏 pic.twitter.com/aLFOdW7rPv
— espnW (@espnW) June 27, 2025
In this game, the Fever allowed Kelsey Plum and Azurá Stevens to control the pace in the fourth quarter. Stevens, who finished with a game-high 23 points, found her groove inside and out, while Plum orchestrated the Sparks’ offense with poise, notching 6 assists to go with her 21 points. The Sparks shot 50% from the field overall—punishing Indiana’s lack of fourth-quarter defensive discipline.
Indiana, by contrast, hit just 37% from the floor, including a dismal 25% from three. Despite solid efforts from Mitchell (20 pts) and Boston (12 pts, 10 reb), the Fever simply could not keep up in the final quarter—turning the ball over 13 times to L.A.’s 19, but with far more damaging timing.
The Psychological Toll of Blown Leads
Giving up a double-figure lead in the last quarter is not only a red warning sign, it is an emotional punch in the heart. The Fever held this game almost 25 minutes, and when they came to face pressure, they seemed to have become paralyzed. There was a great lack of veteran leadership and composure.
What is more alarming is that such kind of loss may destroy the confidence of a young team. The emerging stars in the Fever center in the persons of Boston and Mitchell but they lack a go to closer or a coherent halfcourt identity, and so, they are a club with tiny margins of errors.
Playoff Implications
With a 7–8 record and a crowded middle tier in the WNBA standings, every win matters. The Fever sit just below the playoff cutline and now face two more tough matchups—against Dallas and Minnesota—in the space of five days. Dropping a home game to a 4–11 Sparks squad not only hurts their seeding hopes but raises uncomfortable questions about their ability to execute under pressure.
Their upcoming schedule doesn’t offer much relief. Minnesota is surging, and Dallas—though inconsistent—can match Indiana’s pace and exploit transition vulnerabilities. If the Fever can’t regroup quickly, this loss could signal the beginning of a dangerous slide.
What Needs to Change?
It is true that Indiana has a talented squad. Boston is an elite prospect in the conception. Mitchell is dangerous in time. However, it is not just about talent, the Fever does require some consistency and this starts with the supporting cast.
The coaching crew will be required to work with defense rotations and end game decision making. More to the point, they should create the culture in which leads are not disrespected and mental toughness be as crucial as a shooting percentage.
Final Thoughts
To a team that is crawling its way into the post season the fourth against L.A. was more than just another bad quarter, it was a missed chance, and likely a turning point. In the event the Colts do not qualify into the playoffs, what would be a sore side is remembering this night in Indianapolis as the one that they could not get to.
And in such a competitive league it takes much longer than 10 minutes sometimes to get rid of the memories of lost opportunities as ghosts.
Govind Singh 
Ishaan Singh