During Thursday night’s contest at the Seattle Storm, Indiana Fever top-overall pick Caitlin Clark became the fastest rookie in WNBA history to reach 300 points, 100 rebounds, and 100 assists. Despite the milestone, the Fever succumbed to the Storm for the third time this season, 89-77.
Clark scored 15 points, tying the team lead. The rookie shot 4-for-9, compiled seven assists and six rebounds, yet also turned the ball over six times. What’s glaring though, is that Clark only took two shots in the second half. Seattle didn’t make it easy for Clark on the perimeter.
Following the loss, Fever head coach Christie Sides revealed the magic number.
“Caitlin Clark needs to shoot at minimum 15 shots a game for us,” Sides said. “We got to do a better job of setting her up and setting some really good screens for her… once the ball is out of her hands, she’s setting the rest of our team up with some really great looks. But when we’re not able to finish those, we got to make sure… getting the ball back in her hands sometimes.”
On June 23, in the one-point loss at the Chicago Sky, Clark shot the ball once in the final seven minutes as the Fever caved in on themselves. June 25, Sides said Clark can be occasionally too unselfish when she has the green light. Sides was then asked if she and Clark therefore talked about the rookie’s shot-attempt shortage in the 48 hours since the loss. Sides said no.
To be fair, Clark did have 13 assists at Chicago. But at Seattle, her shots identically waned.
And by the way, Clark’s first made basket was from the logo — 31 feet out.
Caitlin Clark’s second and third quarter passing
In the opening minutes of the second quarter, Clark displayed wizardry in the point guard role. A 27-footer fadeaway, behind-the-back bounce pass in the paint, one-handed baseline laser up to the top of the key, full-court touchdown pass, zipping the ball through the paint. Whatever someone could think of, Clark did it. However tight the passing window was, Clark threaded it.
“She sees windows, she sees open teammates before they realize they’re open,” Christie Sides said. “She came up a couple times and we just got to be ready for those passes. We have to make harder cuts when she sees it. But we also have to know if some of those passes aren’t there, I have all the confidence in the world for her to hold onto it and then make a second action out of it.”
Yet as the quarter progressed, Clark’s flashy passes or passes in crowded areas were picked off with ease by Seattle. That didn’t mean that Clark stopped making great passes. The rookie slung another one-hander to NaLyssa Smith in the paint over a defender.
But late in the third quarter, in the Fever’s three-on-two advantage, she spun her pass out of bounds and flung up her arms. Sometimes teammates will muff Clark’s passes. Thursday, some of Clark’s did look telegraphed.
Jewell Loyd once more explodes for Storm, Fever still eyeing signature win
Ninth-year Seattle veteran Jewell Loyd torched the Fever for 34 points Thursday. The guard’s previous season-best was 32 points versus the Fever back in May. Loyd, who is Seattle’s go-to bucket, took 15 shots — how many Christie Sides is looking for Clark to shoot. Loyd made six shots beyond the arc and didn’t turn the ball over. The Fever turned the ball over 20 times.
Erica Wheeler was the bright spot off the bench, shooting 5-for-8 with 15 points.
As the season continues to progress, and the Fever’s next game Sunday marks the midway point, they’re still looking for that coveted signature win. Indiana declines to 0-8 versus the top four teams in the WNBA standings. Though Clark, Kelsey Mitchell, Smith and Aliyah Boston all were in double figures, the formula for the four-game win streak, inefficient shooting was costly.
It’s the kinds of mistakes the Fever can't afford to make versus these teams.
Indiana drops to 7-12 and continues its road trip at the Phoenix Mercury Sunday afternoon.
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