Fever rise to championship heights in latest power rankings

The Indiana Fever have quickly gone from being on the brink of digging themselves a hole deep enough to bury them in the standings to looking like contenders once again. That's all thanks to the return of Caitlin Clark to the starting lineup against the New York Liberty, which helped Indiana hand New York their first loss of the 2025 season.

As a result of that huge win, the Fever are on the verge of clinching their first ever Commissioner's Cup finals appearance. That berth has, in part, led to them landing 3rd overall in The Athletic's latest power rankings after four weeks of WNBA action.

The team is only behind two powerhouses in the league, the Minnesota Lynx and the Liberty, which just goes to show that they're right back into contending status according to reporter Sabreena Merchant.

Merchant explained in her rankings that Indiana's small ball lineups featuring Lexie Hull or Sophie Cunningham in place of a second big alongside Aliyah Boston is what truly killed the Liberty's defense that was without Jonquel Jones and Leonie Fiebich.

"It should be clear that this identity works for Indiana, not a mashing, two-big unit that is more physical than its opponents. The Fever play fast and shoot early in the clock, and it would behoove the front office to balance the roster in that direction," said Merchant.

Fever are matching the Liberty & Lynx's energy in latest power rankings

Indiana is now finding itself back in the conversation of contention alongside teams like the Liberty, Lynx, Seattle Storm, and Phoenix Mercury. With Clark back in the lineup, they're able to play to their strengths - being faster than their opponents and hitting more threes, as well.

READ MORE: Caitlin Clark adjustment Stephanie White must immediately lean into

The Fever are sporting an MVP-caliber player in their starting lineup, which is something you can say for the Liberty (Breanna Stewart) or the Lynx (Napheesa Collier). The team is also a win away from clinching an appearance in the Commissioner's Cup final after their huge win over New York.

Being able to beat a team as dominant as the most recent champions has allowed for the Fever to climb back up the standings here, even over other hot teams like the Storm and Atlanta Dream.

As they look to be another team added to the list of those who featured in both the Commissioner's Cup championship and then the WNBA Finals, it's clear that they're viewed as a legitimate threat to the Liberty's repeat attempt this season with Clark healthy.