Tony East
@TonyREast
Cover the Indiana Pacers and Indiana Fever. Work in: Forbes, SB Nation, B/R, WTHR, The IX, more. Host Locked On Pacers. IU grad.
The Chicago Sky’s injury report for tomorrow’s game against the Fever is lengthy. Ariel Atkins (leg) - OUT Moriah Jefferson (leg) - OUT Angel Reese (back) - QUESTIONABLE Hailey Van Lith (ankle) - QUESTIONABLE Michaela Onyenwere (knee) - QUESTIONABLE
The Raptors have been the subject of speculation as questions swirl around what comes next for the front office and for Masai Ujiri. @michaelgrange provides insights into both questions as the off-season rolls on. sportsnet.ca/nba/article/ra…
Angel Reese is getting up shots and doing individual work at Sky practice, but she’s not participating in contact drills or team activities during the open portion. @Winsidr
A whirlwind of a week for Chloe Bibby, joining the Fever after being in China when she got the call about Fever’s interest:
Heater of a last half-dozen games from Natasha Howard and Sophie Cunningham. That, plus the Chloe Bibby addition, the standings, and a win over the Aces all discussed today. Listen: open.spotify.com/episode/0sySUy… Watch: youtube.com/watch?v=CxmxOg…
So 1 - obviously awful news for a fun team in Golden State 2 - significant news for the Fever and every team in the back end of the playoff standings race.
Golden State Valkyries forward Kayla Thornton, who suffered an injury to her right knee earlier this week in practice, underwent a successful surgery earlier today in San Francisco. Thornton will be out for the remainder of the 2025 WNBA season and will begin the rehabilitation…
Podcast! @TonyREast on Taelon Peter getting the Pacers final two-way deal and other free agency bits. -Why the Pacers signed Taelon Peter -Where is the roster now -Losing Freeman, perhaps? Right call? -Isaiah Jackson details -Furphy talks dunk Tune in: linktr.ee/LockedOnPacers
I have determined after extensive research that I-465 is the 10th ring of hell.
You may hear Sophie Cunningham say something today in the Fever postgame presser about a press release stating that Caitlin Clark is day-to-day. Cunningham misspoke. That was not in a press release or the current status of Clark.
Big win for Fever, who beat Aces 80-70. Up and down game, but Howard (18p-13r) and Cunningham (13p) were steadying. Says a lot about the standards they've set that 21p for Mitchell and 13p + 10r for Boston both felt like off nights. Fever clinch tiebreaker over Aces. 13-12 now.
Huge play from Aliyah Boston to escape that double team and chase down an offensive rebound. It sets up a dagger three for Aari McDonald. Fever up 8 late.
Aliyah Boston waking up late. Kelsey Mitchell got going earlier this quarter. Stars stepped up and the Fever are approaching a big win, up 9 with 2:18 to go.
Kelsey Mitchell waking up, up to 19 points. She was fired up after her most recent three and let out a yell toward her team on the bench. Fever up 9 with 6:59 to go.
Aliyah Boston misses a layup, then battles for a jump ball. She's 4/12 and clearly frustrated with herself.
Fever 62, Aces 56 after three quarters. Fever rocking it from long range, and Natasha Howard is capital B Balling (18 points and 12 boards). Crucial quarter coming for the Fever with a standings tiebreaker at stake.
Or, alternatively, Howard could just carry the Fever across the finish line. She's trying. 18 and 10 and the third quarter isn't even over.
Fever down 4 despite 5/18 combined shooting so far from Mitchell and Boston. Howard and Cunningham have been the leaders in scoring. Fever can win this game if one of their stars gets going.
Fever are 8/16 (50%) on threes right now and 12/32 (37.5%) on twos. Sure. Yeah. They lead 54-51.
Fever down 4 despite 5/18 combined shooting so far from Mitchell and Boston. Howard and Cunningham have been the leaders in scoring. Fever can win this game if one of their stars gets going.
She's not the MVP this year but I still don't feel any player is more dominant than A'ja Wilson.