"I can’t take it": Sophie Cunningham endures tough time on sidelines during Fever's thrilling win against Sparks

Sophie Cunningham could only watch on nervously as the Indiana Fever clashed with the LA Sparks on Friday. The feisty guard, whose season ended mid-August due to a right MCL tear, did not travel to Los Angeles but kept track of the action. Without her and other key contributors, the Fever walked away with a 76-75 win.

After the game, Cunningham promptly tweeted:

“is it always this stressful being a fan? I can’t take it… can’t sit still.”

The game was a back-and-forth battle between two teams looking to punch a ticket to the playoffs. LA led 75-74 after Azura Stevens hit 1 of 2 free throws with 31.6 seconds remaining. Former Sparks guard Odyssey Sims responded with a floater off a nifty pass from Lexie Hull. LA committed a turnover following a timeout.

The Indiana Fever could not pad their lead despite having possession and back-to-back personal take fouls. Kelsey Mitchell intentionally missed two free throws with 0.4 seconds remaining to drag Indiana to the finish line.

The end-to-end action and tight finish had over 15,000 fans inside Crypto.com Arena on their feet. Sophie Cunningham wasn't in attendance, but experienced the same thrill. She tweeted once the Fever eked out the win:

"Someone pour me a drink."

Fans react to Sophie Cunningham's tweet about being a nervous fan

Sophie Cunningham has steadily become one of the WNBA's most sought-after stars. With thousands of followers on social media, her tweet about feeling nervous during the Indiana Fever's thrilling win over the LA Sparks promptly earned reactions.

"You can always toss something out there to spice it up," one fan said.

The Fever were 0-3 heading into Friday's showdown against the Sparks. Like in those encounters, Indiana did not have Caitlin Clark, who continues to miss games due to a groin injury. Despite Clark sitting out again, the Fever finally broke through with some clutch shooting from former Sparks guard Odyssey Sims.

About the author

Michael Macasero brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his coverage of basketball at Sportskeeda with over 18 years of diverse work experience. This includes stints at Convergys, Interpace and RunRepeat.

Michael's background in English and Journalism has provided him with the analytical skills and precision necessary for creating content, and he is a lifelong fan of the Boston Celtics. His favorite players include legends like Larry Bird and Michael Jordan, modern stars like Tim Duncan, and Nikola Jokic, as well as emerging talent like Victor Wembanyama.

Michael respects Gregg Popovich, despite his contentious demeanor in interviews, and recognizes Popovich's genius in adapting his coaching style to maximize the talent on his roster over the years. Michael eagerly anticipates seeing how Popovich will structure the offense around emerging talent like Victor Wembanyama.

Understanding the story and details is crucial to Michael's reporting philosophy and he believes overlooking details, particularly when pressed for time, can lead to misunderstandings and inaccurate conclusions.

Aside from work, Michael's children are his hobbies, and he also likes to go running, swimming and weightlifting.

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Edited by Michael Macasero