Tamika Catchings returns, hopes to help Fever down the stretch

With no Tamika Catchings and six newcomers, the Indiana Fever could have been thinking about 2015 midway through the 2014 season.

Instead, Catchings is returning from a back injury, and the Fever are poised to make a playoff push in a less-than-formidable Eastern Conference. The 2011 MVP and three-time Olympic gold medalist makes her season debut in Saturday's 5 p.m. game against the San Antonio Stars at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

The Fever are 8-9, tied with Chicago for second behind Atlanta (11-5). The Fever are coming off road wins on successive nights, something that had happened only once in the franchise's 15-year history.

"From here on out, we'll just continue to get better," Catchings said. "With me back in the lineup and being back with them . . . I'm here to help them, not necessarily take over."

Catchings, who turns 35 on July 21, said she had a "pinched disc" affecting nerves running down her leg. An injection, exercise and time have allowed her to resume a 13-year pro career. Except for 2001, when she had a year-ending knee injury while in college, she had never missed more than 13 games in any WNBA season.

Coach Lin Dunn said she didn't have misgivings about Catchings' return but that it would take time for her to regain fitness and to adjust to new teammates. Catchings said she has practiced more with newcomers than with players whose styles she already knows.

"Is it disruptive in some ways? It is, yeah," Dunn said. "Because she's reviewing all the plays. Does she know the system? Yeah, but she hasn't run the system."

Dunn said Catchings' minutes would be monitored, and Catchings conceded there is always a risk in returning from injury.

"The whole mind-set is really just to go out there and play and not think about, 'Oh, I might reinjure it,' " Catchings said. "I think I've been hurt enough to know how to overcome that."

If she is chosen for the All-Star Game, set for July 19, she is uncertain whether she will play. Dunn said she would prefer Catchings rest.

If USA Basketball selects Catchings for the World Championship, set for Sept. 27-Oct. 5 in Turkey, she said she would play because she has a long break before next season. She no longer plans to play overseas in any off-season. Catchings said she's still hoping to make it to Rio de Janeiro in 2016 for a fourth Olympics.

Etc.

Dunn said point guards Briann January and Sydney Carter are rounding into form after "pretty severe" ankle injuries. January averaged 17.2 ppg in the last five games of May but has averaged 7.8 and shot .276 in June/July. . . . Fever C Erlana Larkins leads the WNBA in shooting (.615) and is second in rebounding (10.3). . . . The Fever have shot a league-worst .412 and committed 16.2 turnovers per game, which is next-to-last. . . . Nine Fever players have scored 10 points or more in at least one game.

Call Star reporter David Woods at (317) 444-6195.