Natasha Howard's MVP Goal Becomes Reality at Money Time for Fever

Of course, she's referring to the end-of-year awards the WNBA doles out at the close of each season. Some would argue, however, that Howard accomplished her objective Tuesday night—at least in a sense.

With star guard Caitlin Clark sidelined for a third consecutive game, the Fever were heavy underdogs against the league-leading Minnesota Lynx and MVP front-runner Napheesa Collier, as the two squads squared off in the WNBA Commissioner's Cup.

But there's a reason the games aren't played on paper.

Indiana stunned Minnesota, defeating last year's Commissioner's Cup champions 74-59 thanks in large part to Howard's game-high 16-point, 12-rebound performance.

Howard was unanimously named Commissioner's Cup MVP for her dominant effort, hoisting the trophy in front of the Target Center crowd in Minneapolis and helping to deliver the $500,000 prize pool to the Fever in the process.

It may not be the trophy Howard was referring to in April, but it's a statement nonetheless, both for the Fever and herself.

Indiana has been marred by inconsistency this season, perhaps aggravated by two early injury stints for Clark. However, Tuesday night's victory marks their second consecutive win without their star point guard, and it was a thorough one at that.

Minnesota entered play with a 14-2 record, boasting the best offensive and defensive ratings in the league. Yet Indiana completely shut down a dangerous Lynx offense, holding them scoreless for the final 8:13 of the first half and neutralizing Collier to 12 points on 6-of-18 shooting.

It's a decisive win that proves Sunday's triumph over the Dallas Wings was no fluke -- the Fever have displayed an ability to play competitive basketball and challenge the league's best, with or without Clark.

Regarding their new MVP, Howard's double-double is a reassuring sign that one of their most important offseason additions is beginning to settle into a groove.

When Indiana signed the three-time WNBA champion to a 1-year, $214,466 contract, the second-most expensive annual value on the team, shy of only Kelsey Mitchell's super-max deal, expectations were that Howard would slot into the starting frontcourt and add some much-needed veteran skill to a Fever squad that lacked pro experience last season.

While Howard has started all 17 games at the four, the transition to Indiana hasn't been seamless. Amidst high points like a season-best 26-point effort against the Atlanta Dream or a 16-point, 12-rebound double-double against the Connecticut Sun are stretches where the 33-year-old forward appears ineffective and ill-suited for the Fever's Clark-centered offense.

Through her first 10 games with Indiana, Howard averaged 11.1 points and 6.2 rebounds, not bad by any means, but a noticeable decline from a player who averaged over 15.0 PPG in each of her last four seasons.

Now the tide is starting to turn for the two-time All-Star.

With Tuesday's MVP performance, Howard has reached double figures in each of her last three games and recorded double-doubles in back-to-back affairs. She's averaging 15.0 PPG and 9.3 rebounds in this most recent three-game stretch, a more familiar-looking statline for the big free agent addition.

Back in April, Howard remarked that she was close to winning MVP in 2019, before quickly interjecting that a lot of time has passed since that season. The Fever may not be getting the 27-year-old Howard who finished 5th in MVP voting, won Defensive Player of the Year, and was named First Team All-WNBA with the Seattle Storm. But that doesn't mean this 33-year-old version of Howard can't win them games, as she showed with a dominant performance against the Lynx on a big stage.

McDonald's insertion into the lineup has opened up a world of possibilities for the Fever backcourt, turning attention instead toward Indiana's frontcourt, and more specifically, whoever slots in next to All-Star center Aliyah Boston.

Howard's up-and-down play has led to uneven production out of the four. But if the veteran forward can continue to operate at this level, the Fever's weaknesses suddenly appear less pronounced. If Tuesday's upset win is any indication, that's a scary sign for the rest of the league.