Tears of Triumph: Natasha Howard’s Heartfelt to the Indiana Fever’s Unbreakable Spirit..
In the raw aftermath of the Indiana Fever’s heartbreaking overtime loss to the Las Vegas Aces in Game 5 of the WNBA semifinals, forward Natasha Howard poured out her soul in a social media post that has left fans—and teammates—reeling. “We went through hell,” she confessed, her words a testament to a season forged in fire. With star rookie Caitlin Clark sidelined by a devastating groin injury after just 13 games, alongside absences of Sophie Cunningham, Sydney Colson, Aari McDonald, and Chloe Bibby, the Fever were written off as playoff pretenders. Pundits predicted a quick exit against the Atlanta Dream in the first round. Instead, they scripted an improbable saga, clinching a 24-20 regular-season record—the team’s best since 2015—and storming to the semis for the first time in a decade.
Howard, a three-time champion returning to Indiana after nine years, averaged 11.4 points and 6.6 rebounds in the regular season, stepping up as a scoring lifeline in the postseason with 9.4 points and 6.3 boards per game. Her message delved deeper than stats, illuminating the “profound trust” built amid relentless adversity. “This is the most special team, a special group, that I’ve been on,” she wrote, admitting, “I’m still crying.” But these weren’t just tears of defeat; they were for the sisterhood that turned doubters into believers. Aliyah Boston, the rookie phenom who anchored the frontcourt, echoed the sentiment in exit interviews, praising the “pride” in exceeding every expectation. Lexie Hull called it a season of pure “proudfulness,” while coach Stephanie White hailed the unbreakable bond that carried them through.
From the bench, Clark—limited to 16.5 points, 5 rebounds, and 8.8 assists in her abbreviated campaign—remained a beacon, cheering her squad with infectious energy. She flooded Howard’s post with love: “Slimeeeeee, appreciate you always 🖤.” Sophie Cunningham chimed in, “our tashy ❤️❤️,” a nod to the veteran’s quiet leadership. As free agency looms—Howard among the unrestricted talents like Kelsey Mitchell potentially departing—the uncertainty stings. Yet, in Howard’s eyes, this ending was no tragedy. “INDIANA FEVER, I’m proud of us,” she declared, framing their run as “one of the best of my career.” For a team that defied the odds without its brightest star, the pain of falling short feels like a victory etched in resilience—a fairytale where the real win was the family they found in the flames.
