The buzz surrounding the Indiana Fever‘s showdown at the Carver-Hawkeye Arena was unsettling. As 14,998 spectators swarmed the basketball exhibition on Sunday, the Fever was under severe pressure to deliver. Despite wrapping a critically close preseason opener 79-74 against the Washington Mystics, the Fever had no choice but to change the wind in their favour. They needed all but a miracle in a tight spot with tallied assists and a not-so-impressive scoring aid. And that miracle was none other than Caitlin Clark. Or maybe a 36-foot three-pointer from beyond the arc in the third quarter.
The Fever’s key forward player, Caitlin Clark, lit the court on fire, all guns blazing. Averaging at 16 points, 06 rebounds, and 05 assists, she swiftly snatched the preseason title from the Brazil national team 108-44. With a critical 36-foot shot during the most crucial quarter, Clark also sent the electrified crowd into a frenzy! Though HC Stephanie White praised the celebrity, does the performance deserve just recognition, or is there something else in store for Clark?
Speculating on whether Clark will receive the MVP status this year, national reporter Lucy Rhoden had a reality check for the Clark fans. She pointed out the changing dynamics in the W that will necessarily have an effect on the Fever’s roster too. Hinting at Clark’s recent stint with the Fever on the
Good Follow podcast she said, “
I think they’re going to make her less necessary for what the Fever are going to do, where she’s not going to necessarily need to be the center point for every single thing that is happening.”Rhoden, referred to the game against the Mystics. She was quick to point out how the team managed a win without Clark’s presence. Also, with rookies like Paige Bueckers making their way to the pros this season, for how long can Clark hold up the central position in the league? Talking about the year the overall 01 pick was drafted in the W, the reporter said, “I felt like last season that became the case a lot of the time. So I think that Caitlyn will get better, but I think that she will get less prominent within her own team. Which is a good thing for the Fever to win.” Earlier, the Caitlin Clark Effect would overshadow her peer’s performances.
Regardless of boasting players like Aliya Boston and Natasha Howards on the roster, the team somehow always banked on Clark. But as per Lucy, these dynamics are gradually shifting, as noticed in their preseason opener. And with all players gaining equal traction, hopefully the team can expect better performances in the future. But coming back to the question of whether she would be eligible to win the title just yet, Lucy said, “I don’t necessarily know if that translates to the MVP race or not.” Well, MVP or not, the recent stint has definitely cemented Clark’s relationship with her university and increased her fanbase.
HC Stephanie White is all-praise for the Fever Superstar
The Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White was largely disappointed by the team’s performances. She unabashedly called out players and said, “Yeah, I think some of our rotations defensively… we had some missed rotations. We had some poor closeouts and certainly securing defensive rebounds… we did not do a good job… Offensively, just continuing to work our spacing and our pacing… sometimes we were on top of one another.”
Despite veterans like Boston and Howard, rookies like DeWanna Bonner, and reserves like Lexi Hull giving their all at the Carver-Hawkeye arena, it wasn’t seemingly enough for White. Meanwhile, as someone looking to grab more wins and a strong overall poise on court, White was surprisingly happy with Clark’s performance. As the former overall number one pick turned heads, grabbed eyeballs, and made just enough points to propel the Fever to a victorious run, White compared her performance with that of her NBA counterpart.
Often called the ‘Stephen Curry of Women’s Basketball’, White referred to Clark’s Golden State Warriors counterpart and said, “That’s just who she is. I mean, nobody tells Steph Curry not to take good shots, right?” This statement from the HC determines her trust in the star player and comes in lieu of her shooting prowess after Sunday’s performance. Moreover, White has often praised Clark and her gameplay. With players like Luka Doncic and veteran LeBron James recognising Clark as one of the star players in the W, it is no wonder that Caitlin is indeed the rising star of NBA.
The post Bad News for Caitlin Clark Fans After National Reporter Drops Major Declaration Over Indiana Fever Locker Room appeared first on EssentiallySports.
