Aliyah Boston didn't take a shot in 3rd quarter. Then scored 14 straight to lead Fever to vital win

Indianapolis Star

3 days ago

INDIANAPOLIS – Aliyah Boston knew she wasn't playing to her full potential to begin the Indiana Fever's game against the Phoenix Mercury on Wednesday night.
She was missing some easy shots. Having what she would consider, under her standards, to be a rough game. She made just two of her first six shots, then didn't take a shot the entire third quarter, heading into the fourth with just five points.
But her coaching staff and teammates, as they always do with their No. 1 pick and three-time All-Star, had all the confidence in her.
You're good, they said. Next play.
Then, she exploded.
The Fever's lead was just two points heading into the fourth quarter, and they were desperately trying to make sure that didn't have another fourth-quarter letdown.
More: Aari McDonald, Aliyah Boston lead Fever to high-water mark of season with win vs. Mercury
And Boston made sure of it.
She made four consecutive shots, along with six free-throws, to score Indiana's first 14 points of the quarter. She ended up scoring 17 points in the fourth, quickly becoming a crucial part of Indiana's 107-101 win over Phoenix. She ended the game with her fourth consecutive double-double with 22 points and 12 rebounds.
'All I can say is, God is good,' Boston said. 'I just think the start of the game, obviously, was rough, me just missing some easy bunnies. But honestly, my teammates, they do a great job of just staying in my ear and letting me know, like, you're good.'
And even in those rough shooting moments, Fever coach Stephanie White knows Boston's game is much more than how many points she scores.
The Fever center had a tough defensive assignment Wednesday night with MVP candidate Alyssa Thomas, who is a versatile player who acts more like a point forward. Thomas led the Mercury with 32 points but had an uncharacteristic eight turnovers to seven assists.
Boston is the one who locks down the paint every game, drawing ample attention as one of the best players on the team — especially with fellow Fever star Caitlin Clark out with a right groin injury. The attention Boston draws under the basket helps get her teammates open.
And Boston, becoming a veteran in her third season with the Fever, nearly always knows when to make the right play. With the ball in her hands in the paint, she can see an open teammate and kick the ball out to them, or find a play that not many others could.
She can see the winning plays, even if she's not the one taking the shot. She can stay vigilant and hunt for good shots, staying confident even if they're not falling. And that's what makes her so valuable.
'I mean, she really is a secondary ball-handler for us, initiating offense,' White said. 'She makes the right read and the right play 99% of the time. She gives us size and versatility on the defensive end, more versatility than you would think. And she had a tough matchup tonight with AT and so her ability to stay locked in to what was important to know that her time was coming, to trust that.'
Clark has no timetable for return from that right groin injury, but the Fever (15-12) still have games to play. Five games in eight days, including a four-game West Coast road trip, to be exact.
And Boston, who has been a consistent force ever since she entered the league, continually steps up for the Fever. She has led the Fever to a three-game win streak and a season-high three games above .500, which is crucial for a potential playoff push later this season.
'Now thinking about, you know, the season coming to an end, thinking about that playoff push, the biggest thing for us is being consistent,' Boston said. 'We've been saying that all year, and I think this is a good game for us.'