UNCASVILLE, Conn. — Despite the chaos of the game unfolding around him, Damiris Dantas remained calm.
that having feverEven amid the chaos of Indiana’s Game 1 loss to Connecticut, the backup center kept his cool. Caitlin Clarke in the eyeCoach Christie Sidis’ Fever’s transition offense was hampered by technical issues and several shot clock issues.
These issues frustrated the young Fever, who also suffered a dull second half that ended their opening game with a 93-69 loss. WNBA Playoffs.
“We felt good at the start of the game, but after a few minutes of mistakes, the team just didn’t play the way they used to,” Dantas said. “You can’t do that against a team like Connecticut. So next game, we just have to keep moving.”
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Sunday’s game was the Fever’s first playoff game in eight years, so naturally Indiana was not used to the tension and chaos of a playoff game.
Entering the series, Fever players had 19 games of playoff experience (fewest in the league with zero in the starting lineup), while the Sun’s roster had 222 games of postseason experience. Second most in the playoffs this year.
Dantas, who signed with the Fever this season, has the most playoff experience of any teammate. The 31-year-old has played in eight playoff games for the Minnesota Lynx.
Dantas has never won a WNBA championship, but she has seen firsthand what it takes to make it through a playoff series. And while she’s not a starter for the Fever, she’s been an important veteran voice for a young team.
Indiana’s five starters (Kaitlin Clarke, Kelsey Mitchell, Lexi Hull, Narissa Smith and Alliyah Boston) have all played exclusively for the Fever and had never been in a playoff environment before Sunday afternoon.
“Yeah, I talk to my teammates a lot before and after the game,” Dantas said. “I try to help them out. I don’t know how long I’m going to play, but I try to do my best on and off the court.”
Dantas played 23 minutes, the most of any player coming off the bench. She played mostly at the 4, taking up some of Smith’s minutes, but she played just nine minutes.
The veteran forward was unnerved, and that made her the most efficient player on the court. She shot 4-of-7 from the field, including 2-of-3 from 3-point range, for 12 points.
She passed that advice on to her team members, too.
“Just play together,” Dantas said of what he told his teammates. “Don’t be nervous. Just enjoy the moment.”
The Sun did everything they could to keep the Fever uncomfortable, including deploying 6-foot-4 DeWanna Bonner as the primary guard for 6-foot Clark, who had been deployed in the previous matchup to replace DiJonai Carrington, who had guarded Mitchell instead. And the switch was effective.
Clark and Mitchell, the Fever’s primary offensive threats from the perimeter, shot just 4 of 24 from 3-point range. Overall, the Fever shot just 21.7 percent from the perimeter, well below their 35 percent average.
“I think it all starts with accountability,” Mitchell said Sunday. “I think we all know when we could have done better individually, but I don’t think confidence is shaken. I don’t think confidence is shaken because it wasn’t in our favor. I think this was an imperfect, imperfect game. And I think we dropped the ball and just didn’t do a good job. We didn’t do a good job at least to win. And I think moving forward, we can maintain that confidence. We have accountability as players and as a team and look forward to Wednesday.”
The Suns currently lead the best-of-three series 1-0 and can win at home on Wednesday.
The Fever know they could have done better to start the series, despite it being their first playoff series for most, and they know how to improve going into Wednesday’s away game.
Follow IndyStar Fever Insider Chloe Peterson @chloepeterson67 on X.
This article originally appeared in the Indianapolis Star: Damiris Dantas, Playoff Experience and Advice to Fever’s Young Teammates
