INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Fever’s playoff absence of seven years is finally over.

The Fever have officially qualified for the playoffs following Chicago’s loss to Las Vegas and Atlanta’s loss to Phoenix on Tuesday night. Even if Indiana were to lose their remaining seven games, they would still be guaranteed a spot in the postseason.

This marks the first playoff appearance for the Fever since 2016, breaking the longest current drought in the WNBA and tying it for the longest in league history, matching the Chicago Sky’s stretch of seven seasons without a playoff bid from 2006 to 2013.

This will be the first playoff run for Indiana since the retirement of Tamika Catchings, who played a crucial role for the team from 2002 until 2016. It’s fitting that the Fever’s rejuvenation comes with rookie Caitlin Clark, who is poised to become a new franchise star.

Clark, the first overall pick in the draft this April after winning back-to-back National Player of the Year titles, now joins players like 2023 No. 1 pick Aliyah Boston, 2022 No. 2 pick NaLyssa Smith, and 2018 No. 2 pick Kelsey Mitchell on the roster. The Fever has faced challenges typical for a young team adapting to a new point guard. Their grueling start to the season, featuring 11 games over 19 days, left them with a 2-9 record.

Since that tough beginning, the Fever have turned things around, going 15-7 and securing at least one victory against 10 of their 11 league opponents, including the New York Liberty and Connecticut Sun. The only team they have yet to defeat this season is the Las Vegas Aces, who will face the Fever in Indianapolis on September 11 and 13.

Clark has set extraordinary records in her rookie year, averaging 18.7 points, 8.4 assists, and 5.9 rebounds per game. Earlier this season, she achieved the first-ever rookie triple-double in WNBA history and currently leads the league in assists per game. She has already surpassed the rookie assist record and is on track to eclipse the single-season assist record from last year.

Clark stands out with her combination of scoring and playmaking skills, ranking second on the Fever in points per game, just behind Mitchell, and is ninth in the league overall. She also holds the record for the most double-doubles in a single season by a guard in WNBA history, all achieved with points and assists.

Veteran Kelsey Mitchell, in her seventh year, is having one of her best seasons yet. She has an impressive streak of seven consecutive games scoring 20 or more points, breaking a Fever franchise record. Her speed on the court complements Clark’s skilled passing, forming an almost unstoppable backcourt partnership.

With the duo of Mitchell and Clark, the Fever have performed excellently, boasting a 6-1 record since the Olympic break. Indiana’s current record stands at 17-16, marking the first time they have been above .500 since 2019.

The Fever now occupies the No. 6 position in the WNBA standings; as of now, they would go up against the Minnesota Lynx, the No. 3 seed, in a best-of-three playoff series.