The Indiana Fever secured a significant victory, defeating the favored Minnesota Lynx 74-59 in the championship game of the WNBA Commissioner's Cup on Tuesday. This win earned the Fever a substantial $500,000 prize pool, in addition to a smaller cryptocurrency sum for each player. The triumph was particularly notable as it came despite the absence of their star player, Caitlin Clark, who missed her third consecutive game due to a groin injury, pushing her total missed games for the season to seven.

Veteran forward Natasha Howard was a standout performer, unanimously earning the Commissioner's Cup MVP title with an impressive stat line of 16 points, 12 rebounds, and 4 assists. In the absence of their primary offensive leader, the Fever showcased a formidable defensive effort, effectively shutting down a Lynx team that had entered the game leading the WNBA in offensive rating. Although Minnesota initially established an early double-digit lead, Indiana orchestrated a powerful 18-0 run to conclude the first half, seizing a lead they never relinquished.

Five different Fever players achieved double-digit scoring, led by Howard. Aliyah Boston contributed significantly with 12 points, 11 rebounds, and 6 assists, while Aari McDonald stepped up as point guard in Clark's absence, adding 12 points. The Lynx, on the other hand, struggled offensively, shooting 22 of 63 from the field and committing 16 turnovers, with Alanna Smith leading their scoring with 15 points. The evening also saw an unfortunate incident during halftime, as beloved entertainer Red Panda, a long-standing staple of basketball halftime shows, fell during her unicycle performance and was taken off the court in a wheelchair due to a left-hand injury. Caitlin Clark and teammate Lexie Hull later sent well wishes to Red Panda during their post-game celebrations.

For a league where player salaries can sometimes be in the five figures, a half-million-dollar prize is a substantial bonus. Even Caitlin Clark, who cheered her teammates and heckled officials from the sidelines, expressed her immense pride on social media, writing, “My girls did their thing !!!!!! So proud!!” and noting that the team had kept a promise she made to Commissioner Cathy Engelbert. This victory, achieved by turning on the jets against last season's NBA Finalists, highlights the team's growing resilience and ability to overcome adversity under head coach Stephanie White, especially after an inconsistent 8-8 start to their 2025 campaign, which had been plagued by chemistry issues and Clark's injuries.

The Fever's path to the championship included leading the Eastern Conference with a 4-1 record in group-play games, notably securing a tiebreaking win over the defending champion New York Liberty. The Lynx led the Western Conference with a 5-1 record. This Cup title marks the Indiana Fever as the fifth team in five seasons to win the Commissioner's Cup since its inception in 2021, joining the Lynx (2024), Liberty (2023), Las Vegas Aces (2022), and Seattle Storm (2021). Historically, all Commissioner's Cup winners, save for the 2021 Storm, have gone on to reach the WNBA Finals in the same season, a trend that bodes well for the Fever's aspirations for the remainder of their 2025 season. Furthermore, a secondary trend shows that finalists who lost the Cup have also gone on to win the WNBA Finals, such as the 2023 Aces and 2024 Liberty, offering another exciting prospect for the team's future.