Fever's dream season could become a nightmare in WNBA's final 4-game sprint

Now that the FIBA World Cup is over, Aliyah Boston, Caitlin Clark and Stephanie White return to Indiana -- and a manic, final four-game sprint to the finish line of the WNBA regular season.

The Fever is going to make the playoffs; that much has been clear for weeks. Indiana has the league's No.1 offense that has put up points at a historic -- and historically-efficient -- rate. Clark and Kelsey Mitchell are garnering MVP buzz, while Sophie Cunningham is a potential Sixth Player of the Year candidate.

Yet, despite a championship-caliber core, the Fever could find themselves as the hard-luck No.8 seed, potentially drawn into a first-round matchup against Olivia Miles, Napheesa Collier and the Minnesota Lynx.

MORE: Why Fever-Lynx doubleheader could decide WNBA’s No. 1 seed

If Indiana loses out and finishes with a 26-18 record, the Fever -- currently the fifth seed -- could tumble as low as seventh or eighth, which would produce a difficult first-round matchup against the Lynx, the Las Vegas Aces or the Golden State Valkyries.

Granted, the Fever will get at least one win from its final four games. Indiana returns to action on Friday with a visit to Toronto to face the Tempo, who have lost 16 of the past 17 games. That should be a win for the Fever.

However, the Fever's final three games are against playoff teams. The young and hungry Washington Mystics will visit Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Sunday; Indiana needs to win that game to secure the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Mystics.

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The Fever's final two games are against the Lynx. The head-to-head tiebreaker means a little less here, but splitting with Minnesota should be the goal entering the playoffs.

Hot on Indiana's tail is the New York Liberty, which has a difficult back-to-back against the Atlanta Dream to end the regular season. The Dallas Wings though might be a larger threat for a final-week surge: Dallas' last four games are all against teams that will miss the playoffs, and the Wings have the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Fever.

It will be a challenge for those players returning from Germany, as well as those who haven't played competitively for nearly three weeks. But the Fever can't afford to lose focus in the season's final week. Otherwise, it could end sooner than many anticipated.

More WNBA news:

• Sophie Cunningham has two conditions for the WNBA's next commissioner

• What Caitlin Clark's FIBA World Cup performances tell us about her Team USA future

• Mystics could become WNBA playoff bracket’s biggest late riser

• Aces' Jackie Young has completed basketball after FIBA World Cup win