The Indiana Fever visit the Dallas Wings on Friday, June 27 at the American Airlines Center. Tip-off is set for 7:30 PM ET. Indiana is 7-8 and sitting fourth in the Eastern Conference. Dallas is 4-12 and seventh in the West but has been playing better recently.
This will be the first 2025 meeting between Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers, but Clark may miss the game with a groin injury. The two guards were the top picks in the last two drafts. Indiana won the last meeting 110-109 in September 2024. The Fever have taken four of the last six in the series, but Dallas won both home games last year.
The Fever are 3-4 on the road this season. They had a rough fourth quarter in Thursday’s home loss to Los Angeles, getting outscored 35-17. Dallas is 2-5 at home but has won two of its last three there. The Wings beat the Dream by 13 on Tuesday while holding them to a season-low 55 points.
Wings Preview – Can the New-Look Roster Keep Winning?
Dallas has turned things around since making a trade with Seattle to get center Li Yueru. She has averaged 7.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, and played over 23 minutes in her first four games with the Wings. Her size and positioning have helped improve their defense.
In the last game, Yueru had 10 points and a career-best 15 rebounds in a win over Atlanta. The Wings allowed just 23.4% shooting and had a 44-37 edge in rebounds. They also held the Dream to 7-for-34 on three-point shots. That game was one of Dallas’ best defensive performances this season.
Paige Bueckers leads Dallas with 17.7 points, 5.8 assists, and 1.8 steals per game. Arike Ogunbowale added 21 points in the last win and continues to be a steady second option. The team is still low in offensive efficiency, ranking 10th in field goal percentage and 13th in points per quarter. But their defense has stepped up recently.
Fever Preview – Can Indiana Win Without Clark?
Indiana dropped to 2-4 without Caitlin Clark this season. She sat out Thursday’s loss to the Sparks with a groin injury. Coach Stephanie White said the team needs to play with more urgency late in games when Clark is not on the floor.
Against the Sparks, Kelsey Mitchell scored 20 points and had 4 assists. Aliyah Boston recorded a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Lexie Hull had a solid game with 9 rebounds and 3 assists but struggled shooting the ball. The Fever led through three quarters but lost control in the fourth.
Indiana ranks second in the league with 83.4 points per game. They shoot 45.4% from the field and 34.2% from three, both top-5 in the league. They average 30.5 made field goals per game, which also ranks third. However, they are 13th in every quarter for points scored, meaning they can go cold at any point in the game, especially without Clark.
Betting Prediction
The Fever are listed as 2.5-point favorites on the road. The total is 168.5. Indiana is 7-8 against the spread and 6-9 on over/unders this season. Dallas is 7-9 ATS and 8-8 on totals. The Wings have been better at covering the spread in recent games.
If Caitlin Clark does not play, it will be hard for Indiana to hold off a surging Dallas team. The Wings have improved on defense and rebounding with Yueru. Bueckers and Ogunbowale provide a steady backcourt and Dallas has been playing more connected as a team. Indiana is 2-4 without Clark and has had trouble closing games. Take Dallas with the points at home and consider the under if Clark is ruled out.
Pick: Dallas +2.5
