Cunningham looks beyond scoring to make an impact for Indiana
Sophie Cunningham has emphasized that her value to the Indiana Fever goes beyond making shots. As Indiana entered the playoffs, she highlighted her leadership, energy, defense, rebounding, and communication as ways she can help the team.
Her comments came after a late-season shooting slump that reduced her offensive production. With the Fever facing the Las Vegas Aces in the playoffs, Cunningham’s role became an important part of the team’s postseason rotation.
Her late-season shooting dipped
Cunningham entered the playoffs after averaging 3.4 points over Indiana’s final five regular-season games. She shot 30.0% from the field and 23.5% from three during that stretch.
Across the full regular season, she averaged 7.9 points in 43 games while shooting 46.0% overall and 41.9% from three. The contrast became part of the discussion before the postseason.
Her role changed late in the season
Cunningham’s playing time fluctuated during Indiana’s final regular-season games. She played 7 minutes against Washington on September 20, then logged 29 minutes against Minnesota two days later.
The changes came as Indiana managed its rotations, with defense and rebounding also influencing lineup decisions. Cunningham said she could make an impact through rebounding, defense and communication even when she received limited shot attempts.
Defense and rebounding became priorities
Cunningham acknowledged that defense and rebounding were areas she could improve when her offensive production dropped. She said focusing on deflections, rebounds, and other controllable details could help her stay effective.
That approach matched the coaching staff’s late-season emphasis. Head coach Stephanie White explained that defensive and rebounding considerations affected Cunningham’s minutes in one September game.
She remained a three-point option
Despite the late shooting dip, Cunningham finished the regular season as one of Indiana’s perimeter shooting options. She made 41.9% of her 3-point attempts across 43 regular-season appearances.
Her shooting also showed up in the playoff opener against Las Vegas. Cunningham made 3 of 6 3-point attempts and scored 13 points in 28 minutes and 43 seconds.
Indiana finished sixth in the WNBA
The Fever finished the regular season 28-16 and entered the playoffs as the No. 6 seed. Indiana secured that position after losing its finale to Minnesota and seeing Washington move ahead with a win over Chicago.
The Fever averaged 96.0 points per game for the season. The WNBA identified Indiana as the league’s highest-scoring offense entering the first round against Las Vegas.
Interesting fact: Through the 2026 season, Cunningham has made 38.0% of her career attempts from beyond the arc, giving her a significant perimeter-shooting résumé.
The Fever faced the defending champions
Indiana opened the playoffs against the Las Vegas Aces in a best-of-three first-round series. Las Vegas entered as the No. 3 seed after finishing 31-13 and winning its final seven regular-season games.
The teams met three times during the regular season, with Indiana winning the first two matchups and Las Vegas taking the third in overtime. The playoff series began with both teams familiar with the matchup.
Cunningham made an immediate impact in Game 1
Cunningham scored 13 points in Game 1 against Las Vegas, making 3 of her 6 3-point attempts. She played 28 minutes and 43 seconds as Indiana lost 102-85 at Michelob ULTRA Arena.
The WNBA box score shows that Cunningham made 3 of 6 field-goal attempts, all from 3-point range, and went 4-for-4 from the free-throw line. Her performance came after she had discussed contributing through defense, rebounding and communication.
Indiana struggled early against Las Vegas
The Fever trailed Las Vegas 27-23 after the first quarter and entered halftime down 62-47. The Aces extended their advantage in the second half and completed a 102-85 victory.
A’ja Wilson led Las Vegas with 38 points and 16 rebounds, while Indiana was led by Aliyah Boston with 18 points. The result gave the Aces a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series.
The next game moves to Indiana
Game 2 was played on September 29 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, where Indiana defeated Las Vegas 99-89 to even the first-round series at 1-1.
The deciding Game 3 was played on October 1 in Las Vegas, where the Aces defeated Indiana 94-83 to win the series 2-1 and advance to the semifinals.
Cunningham emphasized controllable details
Cunningham said she tries to control her effort, communication, defense, and rebounding when her shot attempts are limited. She also acknowledged that having few attempts can make it harder to establish offensive rhythm.
Her comments placed her late-season role in broader terms than scoring alone. The Fever entered the postseason with several established offensive options, making complementary contributions part of Cunningham’s stated focus.
Her regular-season numbers remain part of the picture
Cunningham’s complete 2026 regular-season line was 7.9 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game. She played 22.2 minutes per contest and appeared in 43 of Indiana’s 44 regular-season games.
Her 41.9% three-point percentage was a notable statistical part of her season. Those numbers provide context for the late five-game dip without treating that stretch as a complete representation of her season.
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Her leadership comments came before the playoffs
Cunningham’s comments about leadership came as Indiana prepared for its first-round series. She said the Fever needs her voice on offense and defense and described her role as bringing energy and leadership.
Indiana opened the postseason with an 85-102 loss to Las Vegas. The Fever then defeated the Aces 99-89 in Game 2 on September 29, forcing a deciding Game 3 in Las Vegas on October 1.
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This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing.
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