Indiana Fever Announce Replacement for Injured Aliyah Boston

The Indiana Fever will not be with Aliyah Boston for Friday's game against the Seattle Storm due to a leg injury. Fortunately, they have a reliable backup who can start in her place.

Indiana ruled out Boston for the first game of a back-to-back. It's worth noting that the All-Star center also missed the team's July 8 game against the Los Angeles Sparks due to a similar issue. Like Friday's showdown, that game was also the front end of a back-to-back.

Clearly, the Fever are simply being cautious about Boston's health and do not want to overwork her. That being said, the expectation is that the 24-year-old will suit up on Saturday against the New York Liberty.

Boston is averaging a career-high 17.2 points, along with 8.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.2 blocks per game. She's also shooting a remarkable 46.8% from deep. Obviously, Indiana will miss her offensive production, the spacing she creates on the floor, as well as her defensive presence.

While it will be hard to fill the hole Boston leaves on offense, the Fever have a player who can make an impact defensively: Makayla Timpson.

In fact, head coach Stephanie White decided to start Timpson for the game against the Seattle Storm, marking the first time in her career that she has received the starting nod.

Timpson was the 19th overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft. She's averaging just 13.8 minutes per game this season, although she should see an increase in her playing time with her promotion to the starting lineup.

Timpson is putting up just 3.6 points and 3.6 rebounds per game for Indiana, but she brings a lot of energy on the defensive side of the ball. Since she's a mobile forward-center, she should be effective guarding the perimeter and the painted area.

It's also worth noting that Timpson recently made one of the biggest defensive plays for the Fever this season. During their July 9 game against the Phoenix Mercury, Timpson denied Kahleah Copper at the rim, which energized Indiana and sparked an 8-0 run that turned things around.