The Indiana Fever has reached the WNBA Playoffs for the first time since the 2016 season, with the selection of Caitlin Clark transforming the organization.

Despite a 92-91 loss to the Washington Mystics on the final day of the regular season, the Fever finished .500 and will face the Connecticut Sun in the first round of the playoffs. Game 1 between the Fever and Sun will take place on Sunday, with Connecticut hosting Clark’s first postseason matchup.

The Fever are major underdogs for the WNBA championship despite boasting a talented roster but will be motivated to beat the Sun following an altercation between Clark and Connecticut guard DiJonai Carrington earlier in the year. Although the prospect of beating Carrington and the Sun would be satisfying, Clark wasn’t concerned about who they faced in the first round of the playoffs.

“I don’t have a preference, I think that would be kind of crazy,” Clark said. “I think wherever we go, we go, you’d prep the same exact ways you would prep for anybody else, the same way we’ve prepped all season long. Obviously, there’s a little more on the line, but it’s basically going to be new for every single person in our franchise, minus a few players.”

The Sun was 3-1 over the Fever during the WNBA regular season, although Indiana won the final matchup in August. There’s some tension between both teams after Carrington was called out for mocking the No. 1 rookie earlier in the season, setting up for an intriguing showdown on Sunday.

In June, Carrington was subject to online hate after fouling Clark and then imitating her stumble after the Fever star lost the physical battle. Even though that game was in Connecticut, with many of Clark’s loyal fans traveling to see her in action Carrington was booed in her home arena.

Clark’s fans have been called out on several occasions this season for being intense when it comes to online hate, with the No. 1 pick seemingly having a hardcore group of followers who are ready to defend her at any time. Carrington fell victim to this and lashed out on social media.

DiJonai Carrington called out the Fever fanbase online.© Getty

“Why y’all so mad at me and being mean!?” Carrington wrote on X. “I just be hooping and having fun man. Live a little.” The beef continued as Clark was asked about the behavior of her fans, to which the Indiana star dismissed after claiming: “Not something I can control.”

This angered Carrington, who believes that Clark should care more about where her name is being used. “Dawg, how one can not be bothered by their name being used to justify racism, bigotry, misogyny, xenophobia, homophobia & the intersectionalities of them all is nuts,” Carrington wrote in a later post.

“We all see the —-. We all have a platform. We all have a voice & they all hold weight. Silence is a luxury.” Clark later added to her brief statement by saying that her only focus was on playing basketball and not engaging in “outside” issues as it doesn’t concern her.

“I don’t put too much time or thought into things like that, and to be honest, I don’t see a lot of it. Like I’ve said, basketball is my job,” Clark said.