What was Christie Sides’ coaching record with Indiana Fever? Understanding why her firing is justified

WNBA: SEP 21 Indiana Fever Practice and Media Availability - Source: Getty

What was Christie Sides’ coaching record with Indiana Fever? (Image Credit: Getty)

The Indiana Fever have made a decision regarding coach Christie Sides’ future, firing her after a two-year stint. Sides made it to the Gainbridge Fieldhouse to replace Marianne Stanley and her interim successor, Carlos Knox.

She signed a four-year contract with the franchise, but her tenure ended two years earlier, continuing the trend of coaches who didn’t last more than three seasons with the Fever.

After two seasons in charge, the 47-year-old coach posted a 33-47 record, following a 20-20 season with Caitlin Clark leading the team. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft made a notable impact on the team, taking them to the playoffs for the first time since 2016.

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They were swept away, though, by the Connecticut Sun in the first round of the WNBA postseason, marking the end of Christie Sides’ stint with one of the most intriguing franchises.

Despite a 1-9 start to the season, the Fever turned things around and ended up going to the postseason after eight years, but their Cinderella run had a quick ending.

Some of Sides’ tactics weren’t the best and she took too long to adjust during games, which led to the Fever losing several games that looked locked. Katie Lou Samuelson wasn’t the right fit to start the season and it took Sides 15 games to understand that.

NaLyssa Smith also saw action when the matchups weren’t favorable, especially against the Connecticut Sun. Tami Fagbenle was a much better option for the Fever, but Smith got the nod and the team was eliminated from the playoffs.

A major adjustment from Christie Sides was pushing the pace of the offense, but this change only came after the Olympic break. Her lack of adjustments and the bad timing caused the Fever to lose multiple games that could have added more wins to their record.

Christie Sides reacts after being released by the Indiana Fever

Once the news saw the light of day, Christie Sides took to X to share her reaction. She posted a seven-word message, seemingly taking pride in her stint with the Fever.

“Leave it better than you found it. ✌🏼,” she posted on Sunday.

It’s unclear what path the Fever will take now that Sides is gone, but several options could appeal to the front office. The Dallas Wings parted ways with Latricia Trammel after two seasons and Stephanie White’s future remains up in the air.

She’s made it clear that she’s not thinking about her future right now, but the Fever has been mentioned as a potential landing spot for the Connecticut Sun coach.