The Indiana Fever finally picked up their first win of the 2026 WNBA season after defeating the Los Angeles Sparks 87-78 on Wednesday night. With Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell carrying the torch, Indiana’s backcourt completely took over the game when it mattered most. But one WNBA analyst believes the game also exposed a much bigger issue inside the Fever’s frontcourt rotation, especially after an unusually quiet night from Aliyah Boston.
“Somebody on the Indiana Fever who really struggled tonight was Aliyah Boston,” Rachel DeMita said on her YouTube channel. “And I’m kind of surprised that they won this game the way that they did, even with Aliyah Boston playing as bad as she did.”
“She ended the night with four points, seven rebounds, two assists, two turnovers, and two blocks, but she fouled out of the game. And she honestly didn’t even have any points until the fourth quarter,” she further added. “Aaliyah Boston was totally non-existent.”
This criticism may sound harsh, but statistically, it is hard to argue against.
The Fever star finished the game with points only from the free-throw line, while failing to make a single field goal all night. She shot 0-of-3 from the floor, picked up six fouls in only 23 minutes, and never truly looked comfortable on the court.
A huge part of that had to do with what the Sparks’ frontcourt was doing defensively. The analyst specifically pointed toward Cameron Brink and Nneka Ogwumike for making life difficult on Boston throughout the night.
Brink’s length constantly disrupted Boston around the rim and made her hesitate on several possessions. In the first quarter only, Brink went on to block Boston’s 5-foot two-point shot with 26 seconds left on the clock. That moment might have taken a heavy toll on her confidence throughout the game. On the other hand, when Ogwumike was on her, the Sparks forward used her speed and positioning to prevent Boston from establishing deep post position.
However, the bigger concern came from what happened behind her. Because once Aliyah Boston struggled, Indiana’s lack of reliable forward depth suddenly came under the spotlight.
“But the problem with that is you start to see the flaws in some of the other forwards that the Indiana Fever has.”
Damiris Dantas picked up four fouls in only 11 minutes and struggled defensively against quicker matchups. Myisha Hines-Allen also stayed on the court for just 11 minutes with limited offensive impact, while Makayla Timpson barely saw enough floor time to meaningfully affect the game.
Though they still found a way to win anyway, thanks to Clark and Mitchell, who combined for 47 points, this can turn into a bigger issue for Indiana moving forward.
Why the Fever Are Probably Not Worried About Aliyah Boston Yet
As rough as her performance looked, it is still way too early for Indiana to worry. In fact, just one game before this, Boston reminded everyone exactly why she remains one of the most important players on this roster.
During Indiana’s season opener against the Dallas Wings, Boston finished the game with 23 points, four rebounds, and three assists while going up against one of the league’s strongest rosters featuring Paige Bueckers, Arike Ogunbowale, Azzi Fudd, and several other offensive weapons. So this latest outing felt more like an off night rather than some long-term concern about her game.
It is also worth remembering that Aliyah Boston is still working her way back into rhythm after suffering a right lower extremity injury in the offseason, which even forced her to sit out Team USA duties during the FIBA Women’s World Cup Qualifying Tournament.
So right now, it would not be surprising if head coach Stephanie White and the Fever coaching staff are being slightly cautious with how they manage her workload and rhythm early in the year.
As the season moves forward, fans will likely expect Boston to return to form and resume being the dominant interior presence Indiana depends on.
The Fever will now turn their attention toward their next matchup against the Washington Mystics on May 15, where all eyes will once again be on how this team continues building chemistry early in the season.
