Fever are blaming the wrong people for their problems originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Sophie Cunningham acknowledged on a recent episode of her podcast that "people hate us," referring to her Indiana Fever team.

It wasn't as simple as blaming those outside the Fever for some of their recent struggles. But it came across that way.

And really, that's missing the point.

Sure, the Fever are nationally televised. Yes, they've got the attention-grabbing Caitlin Clark.

But no, the Fever's struggles aren't down to others.

They can blame the attention for having other teams show up with greater intensity.

They can blame the referees for calling more fouls against Indiana than against their opponents.

But at the end of the day, the Fever are the team too often missing too many shots. The Fever are the team giving up wide open cuts to the basket, over and over, in their recent loss to the New York Liberty.

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Indiana is a talented bunch. There's reason for high hopes for the season.

Clark is Clark. Kelsey Mitchell is a walking bucket. Aliyah Boston has elevated her game to the level of an MVP.

They've got quality role players, like Cunningham and Lexie Hull, and a whole rotation of forwards that can mix it up inside and outside. Rookie point guard Raven Johnson has been better already than most expected.

Sometimes, the reality is that a team has to simply play better.

This equation isn't about the outside for the Fever, and it'd be wise for them to stop worrying about what others do or say or think.

If the Fever are going to shoot for a championship this season, it will come from what they themselves can accomplish, not what anyone else does.

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