Fever's losses without Caitlin Clark reveal an uncomfortable truth

The Indiana Fever have struggled to find their footing as a team since Caitlin Clark injured her left quad a week ago. The team fought through back-to-back losses against the Mystics and the Sun, and have subsequently lost Sydney Colson and Sophie Cunningham to their own injuries. And while Clark's absence is a huge part of the team's struggle right now, it's not the only reason for the losses: the rest of the Fever just doesn't seem to know exactly how they fit into the team yet, especially if Clark isn't on the floor.

Like a lot of teams in the WNBA, the Fever spent the preseason building and practicing defensive and offensive schemes that play to Clark's strengths, and, as a result, the strengths of the rest of the team. Those plays aren't going to hit the same way if she isn't on the floor, and as we've seen so far, the result is a lot of hero ball and mad scrambling on the floor.

The Fever did rally during the fourth quarter of the team's most recent game against the Sun, with DeWanna Bonner in particular putting up a huge effort to keep her former team at bay. Bonner hit several threes in a row and was largely responsible for the team's thrilling 14-0 run, but it wasn't quite enough to overcome the mess of the first half of the game.

The best thing the Fever can do right now

The Indiana Fever needs each player to be crystal clear on what their role on the team is, and how they can fulfill that role no matter what the circumstances are. With Clark, Colson, and Cunningham down for the count, it's unclear when and how the Fever will bounce back in the immediate future. The team announced that it had signed guard Aari McDonald to a hardship contract this morning, something that will allow her to fill in the role for 7 days.

The Fever will play the Mystics at home at Gainbridge Tuesday, June 3, and fans will be hungry for a successful rematch against the team. They then take on the Chicago Sky at the United Center, the first game between the two teams since Clark was hit with a technical foul during an on-court altercation with Angel Reese.

All eyes will be on the team to live up to the preseason hype and show who they are and what they can do. The Fever should have easily beaten the Mystics and the Sun with or without Clark, and Tuesday's game will be a test of whether or not they are ready to rise to meet the moment.