The Indiana Fever faced their first challenge without Caitlin Clark, their star draftee in the 2024 draft, and things didn’t go as they hoped.
The team fell to a 2-3 record on the season, after losing 83-77 against the Washington Mystics, in the first WNBA game held in Baltimore.
I think this was a blow for us. We’re going back to training tomorrow with more focus and energy. We know where we want to be at the end of the season, but we’re not going to get there overnight.
Sophie Cunningham
The Fever, which had generated championship expectations, struggled in the game. Their shooting percentages were low, with 39.7% from the field and 23.8% in three-pointers, both season lows. In addition, they committed more turnovers (16) than assists (15).
The absence of Clark, who will be out for at least two weeks due to an injury, impacted the team’s game rhythm, which failed to score points on the counterattack.
With Clark on the court, the team averages 107.5 points per 100 possessions, but without her, that figure drops to 87.7. Sydney Colson replaced Clark at the point guard position, finishing with 4 points, 3 assists, and 3 turnovers in 31 minutes. DeWanna Bonner led the team with 21 points, while Kelsey Mitchell and Aliyah Boston, other key figures, struggled to score.Coach Stephanie White attributed the offensive struggles to the lack of execution against Washington’s physical defense.
The defense also presented problems, allowing 48 points in the paint and suffering against the rival’s attacks. Brittney Sykes led Washington with 21 points, while Kiki Iriafen contributed 16.Feeling comfortable with our off-ball actions is still a growth process for us. You can see that when defensive aggressiveness increases, we revert to old habits, opting for one-on-one plays, jump shots, instead of relying on ball movement and playing with off-ball actions.
Stephanie White
Clark, who had not missed a game in his professional and collegiate career, traveled with the team to Baltimore and was present on the bench, providing support to his teammates.I bet they got between four and five trays just because of our bad shot selection. Those things have to improve, and they have to improve in every game. And I feel like we’ve stagnated a bit in our area of growth in those things.
Stephanie White
The match, which was played to a full house, was witnessed by a crowd that supported both the home and visiting teams.
Clark, who was selected for the All-WNBA first team and finished fourth in the MVP voting in her rookie season, will miss at least three more games. The Fever hopes that Clark’s absence will be an opportunity for growth for her and the team in general.I think that in the short and long term this will make us better.
Sophie Cunningham
