The Indiana Fever are in a do-or-die Round 1 playoff game against the Las Vegas Aces, with another loss ending their hopes of advancing to the semifinals.
The Fever maintained a five-point lead at halftime, heading into the break with a 48-43 advantage at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. However, fans have been left concerned by the performance of one of their key players, Sophie Cunningham.
What happened to Sophie Cunningham?
Cunningham has played 10 minutes in the first half but has yet to score or record an assist. She has only one rebound to her name, while her limited offensive involvement is particularly noticeable. The Fever guard has attempted just two field goals, including one from beyond the three-point line.
Her struggles have left some Fever fans disappointed, with several taking to social media to question her performance.
A fan tweeted, “Please let this be Sophie Cunningham last game of the szn”
Another user commented on a particular play and wrote, “Ayooo. Sophie Cunningham just missed a wide open layup”
One fan commented, “Fever gotta get Sophie Cunningham going. Those threes need to feel like daggers”
An X account pointed out Cunningham’s lack of scoring in the first half and tweeted, “how many points does sophie Cunningham have? 0?”
{{/usCountry}}An X account pointed out Cunningham’s lack of scoring in the first half and tweeted, “how many points does sophie Cunningham have? 0?”
{{/usCountry}}Also read | Did Sophie Cunningham call the WNBA 'inappropriate'? Here's the truth behind Fever star's resurfaced clip
Is Cunningham injured?
However, Fever insider Scott Agness had already raised a potential concern earlier in the game. He tweeted, “ Sophie Cunningham squinting with her left eye. Looked like she may have taken an elbow on the last layup attempt… Something to watch.”
If Cunningham is dealing with an issue, the incident mentioned by Agness could potentially explain her limited involvement and struggles during the first half.
Cunningham’s inability to score in the first half is even more surprising considering she finished Game 1 against the Aces with 13 points, which was the fourth-highest total on the Fever.
Also read | What happened to Ty Harris? Fever suffer major injury setback one day before Round 1 vs Aces
During the regular season, the 30-year-old also ranked fourth among the team’s top scorers, averaging 7.0 points while playing just over 22 minutes per game.
The Fever guard was primarily used off the bench throughout the season, making just three starts during the regular season.
Fever maintains 12-point lead despite Cunningham's struggles
Cunningham’s numbers remained unchanged by the end of the third quarter, with the Fever forward having logged 17 minutes of action. Meanwhile, the Fever carried a 12-point advantage into the final quarter, leading 72-60 with one period left to play.