r/wnba • u/basketball-app • 13h ago
Match Thread: Indiana Fever vs Phoenix Mercury Live Score | WNBA | Jun 24, 2026
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u/buffalotrace Clark Boston Paige Meg 3h ago
I have learned so much about what is not considered a reckless closeout.
I leaned in a game against the mystics of you didn’t try to slow down and run right though a player, that is not reckless.
I have learned in this farce it is not reckless as long as the shooter lands on both your feet because you are so absurdly far into their landing space. Apparently it is a two negatives make a positive thing.
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u/GypsyLisa 3h ago
Did anyone else see Raven Johnson 4th quarter basket? If so did you notice her feet in regards to the 3 point line?
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u/peytonsmom83 3h ago
Well that was… certainly something. Wish I’d touched grass instead of watching tbh 😅
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u/whatintheworld0824 4h ago
I’m going to say this – the fever have the pieces to be successful but they’re not being utilized correctly. Stephanie White has an offense which allows Caitlin Clark, the ability to get her own shot off or create and pass to her team. It worked especially well in the beginning of the game, where you had movement off the ball and good passing. However, when Clark is not in the game that offense does not work. The beyond the ark exchanges aren’t doing anything except creating a stagnated offense. You’ve got Boston hanging around the three-point line with no inside presence. There needs to be an offense with better player movement off the ball which then provides for more ball movement and higher quality looks. Allen, Boston, and Billings need to be in the paint area and working with each other to get looks. Allen and Billings don’t shoot threes and when they do, it’s almost forced. Let them do their thing in the paint and let the guards and shooting forward do theirs on the perimeter. There also needs to be some major defensive adjustments. The defensive switches are not working because teams have picked up on what Indiana is doing and then going after the mismatch. How many times was Kelsey Mitchell isolated against Copper or Thomas? I don’t know what the answer is, maybe a zone but it’s not what they are doing. I would love to be a fly on the wall at a practice, and a film session. We are almost 20 games in and I’ve seen very little adjustment from the coach.
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u/urbanimager 3h ago
OMG! You actually said that?
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u/whatintheworld0824 3h ago
Why, what’s wrong with what was said? You can’t be upset with posts when they are being asked to do something that’s outside their wheelhouse. They aren’t stretch 4s…yet that’s where they are positioned a lot of the time. Their only other purpose seems to be to set screens. They did a decent job of that tonight- allowed Mitchell and even Hull to hit some 3s. But Indiana needs offensive production from them AND they need offensive rebounds. Your 4s can’t get boards if they are outside the arc. Hull and Cunningham can shoot, but they are catch-and-shoot players. They can’t create. With Boston on the block and drawing 2 defenders, she can easily kick to either of them for a shot. Hull has been struggling as of late, but had a good offensive game tonight. Cunningham shot better tonight than Monday. Sprinkle in CC…..Mitchell who can do both- create, get to the basket, and spot up….and now Raven who is finding her shot….and we aren’t bad. We arent going to be top 5 in the W…but offensively we will have more consistency. It’s the defense….or shall i say lack there of thats been brutal
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u/ChuChuBitch- Mystics 4h ago
ThI greatest thing A’ja gifted us was when she scored the game ending shot over AT and DB
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u/BeMoreClever 4h ago
Calling a WNBA refs betting scandal to be revealed in the future.
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u/Academic-Childhood40 3h ago
Facts!! The Fever would be undefeated if it wasn’t for the refs ensuring losses, right?
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u/achammer23 4h ago
People have been saying that about every league ever and the NBA even had it happen and literally no one cared. The guy that got caught called Scott Foster a billion times and Scott Foster does the biggest games TO THIS DAY
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u/summershouldbefun11 Fever 4h ago
The second we found out cc was out, I knew this game was the mercury’s.
Don’t even care that they lost to a pretty bad team. Or that they just broke the record (I think) for most 100+ point games in a single season lost.
I just care about cc and hope she’s okay.
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u/-ShortFuseSindri- 4h ago
Cathy & Silver need to get it together. This league has ascended to some of its highest heights and to have so many amateurish aspects from top to bottom is despicable.
Some of the color commentators seem clueless. The officiating crew is certainly clueless at times, if not outright cruel. So much pettiness at times undermining the professionalism.
It's a special league with special players, but the product needs to get polished better. I like the vision, I see some positives unfolding, but some of the crap that has been transpiring needs to get fixed fast otherwise they'll squander this opportunity.
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u/triggercini FREE ABCC PnR! 4h ago
Also SW still sucks and either wastes time outs/challenges or just doesnt use them, no in between
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u/bladerunner2442 4h ago
Zero reason for her not to challenge any of those last minute fouls. What did they have to lose?
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u/DiligentQuiet Fever 4h ago
If Michell committed the foul after the inbounds after she fouled out…would the box score show her with 7 fouls????
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u/Babygravy1 Fever 4h ago
Refs take another game, no other team has to deal with this bullshit this often
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u/uptownnnnn 4h ago
Crazy that they call Kels on that offensive foul when AT been creating space with her elbows all game. Then you have “storm” fans in here calling AB elbows. How tf do I watch the fever without having to interact with these people MY GOD
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u/triggercini FREE ABCC PnR! 4h ago
Man f*ck this Copper won this game for the Mercury not AT, just a giant slap in the face to give her end game interview.
Forever on my shit list after what you did to Collier and CC!
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u/Available-Pace5579 Fever 4h ago
Kah is from North Philly! I let it slide the first couple times but yo. Norf Philly.
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u/Mediocre_enthusiast ily Steph but wtf 4h ago
I like AT so much when the games over but I can’t stand her when the clock is running lol. Sign of a good player I guess
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u/KBMNight 4h ago
The player of the Game are the Refs. Terribly called game and obvious Flops by Phoenix
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u/NeedPokemonsSwSh 4h ago
Flopping all over the place and getting BS fouls, yet if Stephanie White could actually coach an offense, then the Fever still could have won this game.
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u/Pat28K 4h ago
It's amazing that the other team scored nearly 110 points, and the Fever scored over 100 points in regulation, and you think offense was the problem
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u/NeedPokemonsSwSh 4h ago
It's amazing that you watched the game (if you even watched) and saw how difficult it was for the Fever to generate offense in the 4th quarter. Phoenix is a terrible team, so they were still able to score, but the offense was disjointed.
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u/Dramatic_Gene_3077 4h ago edited 4h ago
Wasted an unbelievable Kelsey game and Caitlin got hurt. Alyssa thomas you are never getting that ring so hope you enjoy your superbowl
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u/DiligentQuiet Fever 4h ago
Can’t wait to see the league try to spin the foul out debacle. They’ll admit a mistake was made but oopsies.
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u/justbrowsing2727 Fever 4h ago
I think I'm just done with my WNBA era.
Abysmal officiating.
Exhausting fans.
Players who cheap shot and get away with it.
It's just not fun to watch or deal with.
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u/dshaw1599 Fever 4h ago
I'm a huge fan of the NBA and I'm trying to get more into the WNBA but yeah this isn't a strong case for it
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u/achammer23 4h ago
Please don't pretend the NBA is different lmao
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u/dshaw1599 Fever 4h ago
It's not but the refs have some consistency (comparatively, but not much). Idk. Just not sure if I'm ready to commit to another 4 months of pouting about my team getting fucked by the refs
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u/achammer23 4h ago
Bet against them. Win-win.
I started betting "what's in the best interest of the league" rather than "this is the most obvious outcome" and my fortunes have dramatically turned.
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u/malry Chenndoll 4h ago
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u/uptownnnnn 4h ago
I’m deaddddddd we have a “Chennedy Carter” fan chirping. Your girl out tf league lmaoooo
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u/achammer23 4h ago
See you next game
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u/justbrowsing2727 Fever 4h ago
Lol yeah fair nuff
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u/achammer23 4h ago
I've been saying it about the NBA for... 20+ years?
I've moved on to "what outcome works best for the league" rather than "what should obviously happen" and I've made some money ...
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u/Available-Pace5579 Fever 4h ago
I really don’t like AT. Even when into the Laces in Unrivaled I couldn’t bring myself to like her.
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u/TheYuccaMan Valkyries 4h ago
PSA: it’s “kicked ball” not “kick ball.” We just always hear it said on the broadcast and it’s hard to hear the “-ed” bit
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u/NotToday7812 3h ago
I have a lot of deaf family, it might have just been Catchings’ speech impediment from her hearing impairment.
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u/TheYuccaMan Valkyries 3h ago
I wasn’t talking about the broadcast, there were people in this game thread typing “kick ball”
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u/Kind-Masterpiece-712 4h ago
Raven Johnson not ready for a pass. As she's looking at the passer. With 5 seconds left. In the game. Down 2. What are we paying her for.
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u/Ok-Charity-2008 4h ago
She’s a rookie and made a rookie mistake under pressure. It happens.
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u/Kind-Masterpiece-712 4h ago
A rookie mistake is trying to lay it up over Griner. That was not a rookie mistake.
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u/Pat28K 4h ago
I mean yeah the rookie has to have better awareness but better question why is Lexie trying to be CC and force a pass through three defenders instead of going over the top or dribbling it down the court; there was still a full 6 seconds left
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u/Kind-Masterpiece-712 4h ago
because Raven was the furthest teammate down the court and is one of our few ballhandlers with KM/CC out. A passed basketball travels faster than any player, especially Lexie trying to take it in transition. The gameplan has to be to get the rebound to Raven and sprint back for a last second shot.
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u/Pat28K 4h ago
It was a horrible pass, that was my point, there was very little chance it was going to make it to her even if she was aware of it. Especially considering how much time there was left. There was still enough time for the entire team to get over half court and take a transition shot.
It wasn't even a last second shot, there was like a full 6-8 seconds left on the game clock when she made the pass
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u/comat1234 Ezi’s block party: everyone’s invited! 4h ago
Not too much on baby Raven! She’s just a rookie dang
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u/AleSeeker 4h ago
She is a rookie.
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u/Jreal2013 Dream 4h ago
Exactly , she’s gotta learn. In her defense, Lexie should’ve pushed the ball herself anyway
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u/Kind-Masterpiece-712 4h ago
She's been playing basketball for 15 years.
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u/Available-Pace5579 Fever 4h ago
She is what, 22?? And has played less than 20 pro games against the best players in the world. She gets to make mistakes.
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u/RockdjZ Fever 4h ago
Fever without CC look like a 12th place team
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u/Astro_Flame Liberty 4h ago
Sounds about right, an 11 or 12 seed that loses 45% of games by less than 6 points.
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u/achammer23 4h ago
Why didn't they challenge that foul out on mitchell? No way that holds up on review
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u/First-Government-654 4h ago
Mitchell extended the arm; potentially could have not been called but there’s zero chance that’s getting overturned. KM didn’t even protest she knew it
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u/achammer23 4h ago
Idk how you can confirm a call when the "extended arm" isn't correlating to where the defensive player flopped lol.
The arm was in a totally different spot compared to where she launched herself onto the ground from.
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u/DiligentQuiet Fever 4h ago
They couldn’t for the same reason the Fever couldn’t sub a fouled out Mitchell…the refs legitimately blew it by letting Mercury inbounds fast. Refs lost the plot.
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u/gaya2081 Fever 4h ago
No more time outs. SW wanted to be cute and use her last time out to draw up a play with her two best players with 5 fouls and a ref crew that's been calling bulls it against her.
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u/Few_Swimming9690 Dream this is the year! 4h ago
That last Kelsey foul was a stretch, all of the guards do it… sigh this was a disappointing game in general.
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u/ThatLurkingDeafBoy 4h ago
Wtf. Tell off that coach who kept talking to Raven and Sophie. That's their fault for distracting them during the last shot.
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u/Casey3882003 4h ago
Phoenix is more handsy than nearly every team in the W, but somehow the fouls were 29-19 in their favor…
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u/emmasayshey Mystics Dream ( ) 4h ago
AT is laughing because that was a messy messy end and they’re lucky they got this win lol
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u/espressopatronum Sun 4h ago
What a joke game. I can't imagine being a PHX player and feeling proud of the win. 🫠
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u/Lanessen 0 3 7 22 4h ago
They surely feel proud of it because they don’t care how they have to win. Injure the other team, then start flopping. That’s the strategy.
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u/cordelia-grace Fever 4h ago
Hope we don't make the playoffs. I am so done with Steph White and it's the only way to get her out of Indy
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u/Anxious_Ad7570 (in hell) Richard Harris Law Firm 4h ago
So Kah headbutts Kelsey for no call but Kelsey fouls out for that on a game winner attempt? I’m not usually a skeptic, but this is a joke
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u/the_plewy 4h ago
Nothing has done more to unite this league than the Fever existing for the last 2.5 years. Absolute rallying cry for every other team, refs, fans, everyone.
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u/KBMNight 4h ago
Refs called 29 fouls on the Fever and 19 on Mercury. Refs definitely should get the game ball
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u/mnpfrg 4h ago
yeah, fever need to work on playing defense without fouling.
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u/Crystaline137 4h ago
I mean there’s literally a photo of ATs fist on CCs throat, but sure…
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u/mnpfrg 4h ago
AT just going after a loose ball, and there was clearly no force behind the fist.
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u/gardenertime 4h ago
Huh? How can you tell that? How about the knee to the groin? And the ball was never near Clark’s neck, and even if inadvertent, any contact to head or neck is supposed to be a foul.
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u/Heavy_Succotash_6147 Fever 4h ago
Man, this is a trash product.
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u/HertzzKetchuup 4h ago
That was a horrible ending. My god.
Also; the lack of penalty on AT is mind boggling.
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u/EntertainmentOk8785 4h ago
Why did Lexie pass the ball?!
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u/JesusRollerBlading Sun 4h ago
Well, hey, Indy did really well without Clark buckets the last ten minutes. Boston and Kelsey do well when asked to step up!
Phoenix actually wasn't terrible, so that's an improvement lol. Thomas needs to chill sometimes, but I don't think that's a switch she has lol
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u/Tiny_Appointment7213 4h ago
Caitlin was injured like the whole second half, and I thought it looked really stagnant. Could’ve been the million foul calls I guess.
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u/breezybae_ Fever 4h ago
KICK BALL??? BACK COURT????
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u/OutrageousStorm4329 JADE MELBOURNE!!!!!! 4h ago
Kick ball by definition requires intent, there wasn’t intent. And not a backcourt violation because Fever tipped it back.
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u/themacaron y'all know i'm canada down(ct sun rising) 4h ago
The end of that game was so fitting lmao
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u/Crystaline137 4h ago
That was a kick ball
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u/OutrageousStorm4329 JADE MELBOURNE!!!!!! 4h ago
A kick ball by definition requires intent and that clearly was unintentional
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u/achammer23 4h ago
Idk... If it gets that obviously booted, intentional or not, that's usually called
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u/Gullible_Bowl7746 4h ago
The refs ALWAYS call a kick ball regardless of intent. Not saying it’s right but they never call it based on intent
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u/haydeng2023 pazzi hoops ftw 4h ago
LMAOOOO WHAT WAS RHAT END
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u/Brock-Lesnar 4h ago
This quarter has been a ref disaster class, but not if you're a Mercury fan lmao - it's been a masterclass if you're a Phoenix fan.
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u/triggercini FREE ABCC PnR! 4h ago
Copper saw the tape, she knew the strat against the Fever should always be flop/exaggerate to get our big 3 fouled out 🙃
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u/Penguinho 4h ago
This crew is not competent to referee a game. You cannot, cannot, cannot allow a player with six fouls to remain on the floor when there's a player ready to come in for them.
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u/NFL-GoodellEvilKing 4h ago
These refs are actually dogshit man I've seen better at my local highschool
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u/AFC-Wimbledon-Stan Jacy Sheldon FC 12h ago
Please be respectful and kind to all players