The Fever have finally found their groove without Caitlin Clark. Indiana has now won three consecutive games, beating the Dallas Wings, Minnesota Lynx, and Las Vegas Aces. The win over the Lynx was especially impressive, as the Fever battled back from a deficit and contained the most effective offense in the league.
Earlier in the season, the Fever struggled without Caitlin Clark, sorely missing her playmaking, scoring, and floor spacing. By now, they have figured things out. Kelsey Mitchell and Natasha Howard have stepped up, and Aari McDonald has filled in well for Clark in the starting lineup.
The Fever’s recent success prompted ESPN analyst and Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame coach Carolyn Peck to voice a bold opinion about Clark’s impact.
“Look, I think that Indiana is even more dangerous when Caitlin Clark doesn’t play because she’s a ball-dominant guard,” Peck said on SportsCenter. “The ball is in her hands a lot. So, you know what you need to try to take away. But when you look at Indiana now, they’ve got so many weapons…When you have a point guard like Kelsey Mitchell and Aari McDonald making plays on the perimeter and a post like Aliyah Boston, I’m going to tell you, Indiana, they are a threat, and especially on the defensive end. Stephanie [White] is so pleased with the intensity they’re bringing defensively, with their length, their switches. I mean, they’ve wreaked havoc on their last opponents.”
Peck knows basketball. She played in college and professionally in Italy and Japan. She also coached in the NCAA, the WNBA, and with USA Basketball. Despite her experience, this Clark take did not sit well with many Fever fans.
The Fever’s defense looks different without Caitlin Clark
One point Peck makes is that the Fever’s defense is better without Clark on the court. That is a fair take. Aari McDonald and Sydney Colson are both better defenders than Clark. Neither one has to hide on a weak offensive player. They can provide great pressure on opposing ball handlers.
With Aari McDonald in Clark’s spot, other defenders, like Lexie Hull, also don’t have to worry about making up for Clark’s shortcomings and can focus on their assignments.
Clark is still a massive part of the Fever’s success
Clark’s defense may not be perfect, but everything else she does is so valuable that the Fever can live with her shortcomings on that end of the floor. Clark is by far the best playmaker on the Fever’s roster and makes the offense easier for her teammates. She also provides a lot of scoring and floor spacing.
Clark is also a clutch player and big-time shot maker. The Fever are rarely more dangerous than when Clark is hot from three and hitting one long shot after another.
The Fever may be playing well without Clark right now, but they will need her to contend in the playoffs.