Calls Mount Against Stephanie White as Indiana Fever HC’s Game Plan Falls Flat Against Washington Mystics

Caitlin Clark’s absence felt like pulling the plug on the team’s engine. The lead scorer kept the Indiana Fever’s offensive rating up at 107.5% while averaging 9 dimes a game. Analysts resounded that there was no replacement for that. But head coach Stephanie White wasn’t letting that in. Having spent the offseason retooling the roster, she looked for an answer in her veteran. With a confident plan in mind, she entered the matchup against the Mystics. But did that plan actually work? Well, the fans had a pretty clear answer to that!

White knew exactly where the gaps would be without Clark — and that the opposition would exploit them. So she made some strategic moves to prevent the situation from becoming a full-blown crisis. “Yeah, we’re going to start Syd at the point tomorrow. We’re going to give that a look,” said White. “Sophie’s going to get a heavy dose of it as well.”

And on paper, the plan made some sense. White turned to Sydney Colson, a two-time WNBA champion who had started just once in her last 132 games. She had the experience — but not the consistent opportunity. Then, White planned to use Sophie Cunningham as a secondary option.

Oct 6, 2024; Uncasville, Connecticut, USA; Connecticut Sun head coach Stephanie White watches from the sideline as they take on the Minnesota Lynx during game four of the 2024 WNBA Semi-finals at Mohegan Sun Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images

But that’s where the plan started to unravel. Acquired in a four-team deal, Cunningham had been contributing points off the bench throughout the Fever’s regular season campaign. While she brought starting experience — 72 games to her name — the 36.3% three-point shooter had been dealing with recovery this season. Now, it was time to test this plan against the Mystics, and White executed exactly as planned.

With Clark sidelined, White inserted veteran Colson into the starting lineup at point guard, hoping she could stabilize the offense. But the outcome told a different story. While the former Aces guard typically thrives as an energy player off the bench, she struggled in a starting role — shooting just 2-for-7 from the field, missing all her three-point attempts, and finishing with only three assists to go along with three turnovers.

That marked the beginning of the Fever’s offensive stagnation. The team’s ball movement was sluggish, managing just 15 assists — a noticeable dip from their usual output. Kelsey Mitchell was forced to take on a larger creative load, finishing with 14 points on 4-of-16 shooting, clearly pressing in the absence of her usual backcourt partner.

So clearly, White’s plan fell short, and the Fever ended up adding a second consecutive loss to their record with a 77–83 defeat. And the fans? They weren’t exactly thrilled — not because the team relied on their star player, but because this time, their frustration wasn’t directed at the players… it was aimed squarely at the coaching decisions.

Why fans were disappointed in HC Stephanie White’s decisions?

As the Fever suffered a loss, fans’ disagreement with Head Coach Stephanie White’s plan was quite evident in the comment section. They couldn’t help but point out the glaring loopholes in White’s game decisions.

“Not a fan of conspiracy theories, but I’m beginning to feel Stephanie White came to Indianapolis to keep the Fever out of the playoffs,” penned one spectator. And this criticism isn’t coming without reason. Mitchell and Colson weren’t the only players who looked out of position — almost everyone on the court struggled, with the most significant rotational adjustment being the heavy reliance on Bonner.

Typically used as a scoring punch in limited bursts, Bonner suddenly became the focal point of the offense. She delivered with a team-high 21 points on 5-of-10 shooting, including a perfect 9-of-9 from the free-throw line. But while she stepped up offensively, the Fever’s defense completely derailed.

“Stephanie White has not been a good coach so far. These rotations are horrible,” another user added bluntly. White also increased minutes for Damiris Dantas and Makayla Timpson, opting for a bigger frontcourt in hopes of dominating the boards and creating second-chance opportunities. However, that gamble didn’t pay off against Washington’s athleticism. The Fever were narrowly out-rebounded 34–33, but couldn’t generate enough consistent offense — ultimately falling short in a game that made it painfully clear just how central Clark is to their identity.

“Stephanie White, did you forget how to coach????” a frustrated fan asked. Indeed, the Fever struggled to establish any rhythm on the defensive end. The Mystics shot 43.5% from the field and carved up Indiana inside, scoring a staggering 48 points in the paint. That number alone tells the story: Indiana’s interior defense was overmatched, slow to rotate, and lacked rim protection. And this performance even drew comparisons to former head coach Christie Sides.

“Stephanie Sides or Christie White — I can’t tell the difference between the two coaches,” another user remarked. Let’s not forget — in the 2024 season, following a 2–9 start, the Fever developed the league’s best offense on a per-possession basis. But that offensive spark wasn’t matched defensively, as the team ranked 10th out of 12 in defensive rating.

They allowed the second-most opponent points per game (87.7) and had the second-worst defensive rating (107.5). They also gave up the third-most fast break points (11.3) per game, a clear indicator of struggles in transition defense. So when White’s Fever failed to register even a single fast-break point while being exposed defensively, fans saw shades of Christie Sides’ tenure. “went from christie sides to stephanie white hoops,” one more added.

But the real question remains: Will the Fever be able to prove themselves without Caitlin Clark?

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