"Being outplayed by Dana Evans": Fans turn on Fever's $78,831 PG after her cold Game 3 outing costs Indiana dearly

The Indiana Fever fell to a 2-1 hole in their semifinals series against the Las Vegas Aces after an 84-72 defeat at home on Friday, with fans zeroing in on starting point guard Odyssey Sims for criticism.

Sims struggled mightily, going 0-for-7 in her 19 minutes on the court, during which the Fever were outscored by 10 points. Kelsey Mitchell carried the scoring load with 21 points, while Lexie Hull added 16 points and 10 rebounds.

Fans highlighted the struggles of Sims, who was one of the Fever’s emergency signings after point guards Caitlin Clark, Sophie Cunningham, Syd Colson and Aari McDonald all suffered season-ending injuries.

“The difference of the Aces and Fever series really is Odyssey Sims being outplayed by Dana Evans. They need a PG,” one fan said.

Sims had shown strong performances prior to Friday, posting 16 points in the series-clinching win over the Atlanta Dream and 17 and 18 points in the first two games against the Aces.

In Game 3, 2021 All-Rookie Team member Dana Evans scored 10 points on five shots and added five assists, while Sims managed just two points and two assists.

“Even Syd Colson would've done better dawg,” another said.

“We rode Odyssey Sims too long this game,” another commented.

Here are other reactions to Sims’ performance.

Stephanie White discusses Fever’s Odyssey Sims signing

When Aari McDonald and Syd Colson were ruled out for the season, the Fever signed 33-year-old Odyssey Sims to a one-year, $78,831 deal.

Ahead of Game 2, Fever coach Stephanie White explained the reasoning behind Sims’ signing.

"The moment that we lost Aari and 'Syd', we knew we needed a playmaker," White said (per SI). "[Odyssey] does that at a high level; she has done that at a high level throughout her entire career, so right time, right moment."

"There are some games where I'm on her if she's too passive," White shared. "We are not successful if she's not the best version of herself -- which is getting downhill, getting into the paint, creating for herself, creating for others, and playing with that high intensity level."

Unfortunately for the Fever, that version of Sims didn’t show up on Friday, leaving the team just one loss away from ending their valiant 2025 season run.

About the author

John Ezekiel Hirro is an experienced NBA and WNBA journalist at Sportskeeda, with over five years in the field as a news correspondent, sports writer, and Editor-in-Chief. His sports writing career began in high school, where he garnered numerous accolades, including being named the national sports writing champion in 2016.

He earned his journalism degree from the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines in 2024 and served as the Editor-in-Chief of The Varsitarian, the university's official student publication, for four years—the longest in history.

A passionate basketball enthusiast, he became a fan of the OKC Thunder during the Russ-KD-Harden era. Russell Westbrook, his all-time favorite athlete, impressed him by stepping up as MVP after Kevin Durant's departure. His current favorite players include Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, who he believes are the future of the OKC franchise.

He excels in game analysis and rapid news story turnaround, drawing inspiration from the journalistic styles of Woj and Shams. He emphasizes thorough research to ensure accuracy in his articles. One of his most memorable moments is Russell Westbrook breaking Oscar Robertson's record with his 42nd triple-double and securing a 106-105 victory over the Denver Nuggets with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer. Outside of writing, he enjoys listening to music and creating Spotify playlists.

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Edited by John Ezekiel Hirro