Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever are gearing up to step onto the court at Mohegan Sun Arena for a moment they’ve waited years for—their first playoff appearance since 2016. The Fever didn’t close out the regular season quite the way they hoped, falling in a tight game against the Washington Mystics. But now, the stakes are higher. Facing the Connecticut Sun, who finished third in the standings and have the advantage of playing at home, this is where the real test begins. Well, they have already received a word of caution before they go out for the first-round battle.

Recently, renowned sports commentator Ryan Ruocco weighed in on the Indiana Fever’s upcoming playoff clash with the Connecticut Sun. While he acknowledged the immense potential and fighting spirit of Caitlin Clark and her team, Ruocco didn’t hesitate to highlight a key concern that could pose a challenge for the franchise as they head into this high-stakes matchup.

“Even though I think it’s easy to say at this point, she’s [Caitlin Clark] already the best guard in the league, she and Indiana are going up against the Connecticut. A team that has unbelievable playoff experience and playoff success… They play every team top in the playoffs. It doesn’t matter who, whether it’s Vegas, the Liberty, Connecticut always plays you top. I think you have to give them a little edge in the series because of that,” stated Ruocco.

It’s no secret that the Connecticut Sun has been a playoff mainstay. They have made it to the playoffs for eight consecutive years now — the longest active streak — even reaching the Finals in 2022, where they fell to the Las Vegas Aces in a 3-1 series. Last season, they fought their way to the semifinals but were ultimately knocked out by the New York Liberty, this year’s top seed.

Though the Sun has yet to win a championship, their consistent playoff appearances give them plenty of experience when it comes to strategy and navigating the high-pressure moments of postseason play. Ruocco also pointed out a potential area where Indiana might fall short in their first-round matchup, shedding light on a key weakness the Fever will need to address.

Caitlin Clark and Fever’s challenges against Connecticut Sun in playoffs

Ryan Ruocco shared his thoughts on what to expect from the Fever in their upcoming playoff series, saying, “…it’s hard to not see some of those tight moments and think about the way Indiana snipes at the rafts, looks a little flustered, can look a little inexperienced and not think that in tight games that could be an area that Connecticut could take advantage of.”

https://twitter.com/espnW/status/1837224738659115456

The ESPN expert’s comments about playoff experience really ring true when you consider that the Sun are making their 17th playoff appearance in just 26 seasons. Fever has made it 13 times in the past 25 years.

But the real challenge here is that none of the Fever starters have made it to the playoffs before. Whereas all of Sun starters have post season experience for no less than four years, expect for Dijnoi Carrington, who will be making her 4th appearance this year. Moreover, with 4 of this lot becoming free agents after this season, it will be all the more of a drive for them to perforam as a core team and finally make it after all the years of fail as Rebecca Lobo earlier suggested on WNBA Hoop Streams .

However, Ruocco previously highlighted a glimmer of hope for the Fever in their standout rookie “She (Caitlin) knows how to handle it, and I think you’re gonna see something much different than what we saw when Caitlin started her career in Connecticut at the beginning of this regular season,” said Ruocco.

As the team’s top scorer against the Sun, the Fever No.22’s  performance will be crucial for the team as they aim to recapture the magic of their 2012 playoff run.