The Indiana Fever have clinched a spot in the 2024 WNBA playoffs beginning in less than a week (Sept. 22), but coach Christie Sides’ team is far from a lock to make a deep playoff run.

Fever star guard and Rookie Of The Year favorite Caitlin Clark knew as much recently when she decided to pour cold water on the Fever’s playoff-clinching win celebration, noting the seriousness of the challenge ahead of her team.

On Tuesday, the Fever’s biggest potential nightmare scenario was revealed, and it involves a potential matchup with the one team Sides and Clark absolutely do not want to face in the 2024 playoffs.

The Fever will almost certainly face DeWanna Bonner, Marina Mabrey and the Connecticut Sun in the first round of the playoffs according to the latest statistical odds shared by The Indianapolis Star.

The Sun were listed with 87.5% odds to play Clark and the Fever in the first round, assuming a 50/50 chance for each potential opponent to win their remaining games.

The situation gets far dicier as the odds become longer as part of the Star’s recent analysis.

The Fever have a 6.3% chance of facing either the defending WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces or the Minnesota Lynx in the first round.

Both teams have had Clark and the Fever’s number this season, but a matchup vs. A’ja Wilson and the Las Vegas Aces is the biggest nightmare scenario.

The Aces swept the Fever in four meetings this season, including two wins over coach Sides’ team in the last week.

Clark’s franchise missed the playoffs in its seven prior seasons before she joined the team, fresh off a college career as the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer.

Indiana last won a playoff series in 2015, when the Fever reached the WNBA Finals before losing to the Lynx, 3-2.