The Fever are set to take on the Sun in the first round of the WNBA playoffs, and everyone has a prediction in what should be a compelling series.
The Fever come in as the lower No. 6 seed but have looked like a much better team in the second half of the season. The Sun are a higher No. 3 seed with championship aspirations who took three of the four regular-season matchups.
We've made our own predictions, but what does artificial intelligence think?
We asked Grok, Elon Musk's artificial intelligence tool, what it thought of the matchup. Here's what it said.
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Caitlin Clark playoff predictions
Advantages for each team
Grok believes that both teams have strengths going into the first-round series.
For the Fever, Grok says that Indiana has "shown significant improvement and momentum, particularly highlighted by Caitlin Clark's record-setting performance in scoring."
Clark recently set the record for most points scored in a rookie season and the Fever recovered from a horrendous 3-10 start by going 17-10 the rest of the way.
Grok likes the Sun's "strong defensive play and strategic depth" along with "experience in high-pressure games which give them a psychological edge."
The Sun come into the playoffs as the league's best defense. Their coach, Stephanie White, is among the top contenders for Coach of the Year honors. They are indeed a well-led team.
The Sun also have a strong playoff streak going. This is their eighth consecutive postseason appearance, and they've made the finals twice during that span. Last year, they beat the Lynx in three games in the first round but were eliminated in four games by the Liberty.
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Key matchup
Grok believes that the key matchup will be between Clark and the Sun's perimeter defenders, particularly DiJonai Carrington.
"Expect the Sun to employ a team-oriented defensive strategy, possibly involving traps or double-teams when Clark has the ball in her preferred shooting or driving areas."
Clark has seen a lot of aggressive double-teams, particularly earlier in the year. She initially struggled against that coverage, which has contributed to her record-breaking turnover numbers. That strategy has become less effective as Clark has improved her decision-making and Aliyah Boston has gotten much better as a release valve. But it could be used again in this series to force the ball out of Clark's hands.
Grok also believes that the Sun will try to be physical against Clark. The Sun could "involve players like Alyssa Thomas or Brionna Jones, who could provide a physical presence, even if it means occasional fouls to disrupt her rhythm."
The Sun have kept Clark out of her comfort zone all season. She has averaged only 16.5 points per game against Connecticut, which is three points below her season average and her second-lowest total out of any opponent (the Aces held her to 13.8 per game). Clark has also turned the ball over 25 times against the Sun, which is tied with the Dream for her most against any team.
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Prediction
Grok hemmed and hawed but eventually picked the Sun in a close series.
"If forced to lean one way, the Sun might have a slight advantage due to their strategic depth and playoff experience."
Grok believes that the Sun will take the first game, the Fever will take the second and the Sun will win the closeout game in Indiana.
A first-round exit would be a bit of a disappointment for the Fever but it would still be a successful year given that they went 13-27 last season. And Grok is very high on their future, stating that their championship window would open "around 2025-2026 if they maintain their trajectory."
