Remember when people mocked the Sky for celebrating their win over the Sparks, saying it’s a bottom team? Funny how that narrative flipped when the Fever dropped their second game. And the ‘why’ for Fever is simpler than we thought. It’s something that they have been battling time and again this season. A Lack of discipline and hence, inconsistency. It’s the only way to explain how they snapped a 3-game winning streak against the second-worst-ranked team in the league. Although, another reason could be fatigue because Indiana has played nine games in 18 days.
However, their HC wasn’t in the mood to make up any excuses. In the postgame presser, White didn’t take names, but she did make one thing clear: “Sometimes we have to live with the fact that great players make good plays…at the end of the day we have to be more disciplined…we bailed them out by fouling.” Although, if you watched the action live, it’s not hard to tell that White was calling out Natasha Howard and Aari McDonald. Mostly for the personal and shooting fouls they made, especially towards the end of the 4th quarter.
Stephanie White on Indiana Fever
“Sometimes we have to live with the fact that great players make good plays…at the end of the day we have to be more disciplined…we bailed them out by fouling.”
— Moreau Sports Media Prod Co. (@MoreauSportsCo) July 6, 2025
Sparks went to the line 5 times in the last 3 minutes, racking up points. Moreover, the great players, Kelsey Plum, Azura Stevens, and Rickea Jackson did not leave any gaps at all. At 2:34 in the 3Q, Plum hit a 26-foot three-pointer to take the lead back (70-67). Then with just 1:31 remaining in the 4Q, Rickea Jackson made a tough 3-foot shot and drew a foul on Natasha Howard. She converted for 1. That’s the exact kind of great play by a rising star that Coach White refers to. Finally, at the 0:03, 4Q mark, Stevens iced the game by hitting a pressure free throw to push the lead to 89-87.
However, we doubt that the results would have been different had Caitlin Clark been on the court last night. Because they have been here before, just last season. The Fever somehow fell to last ranked Wings. Even though Caitlin Clark played and set a new single-game WNBA record with 19 assists, it was marred by lackluster team defense and turnovers. Aliyah Boston scored a career-high 28 points on 11-of-14 shooting and was the beneficiary of many of Clark’s dimes. But nothing was enough to stop them from dropping to 12-15 going, while the Wings moved to 6-19.
So, with or without CC on the hardwood, Fever’s habit of folding in crunch time persists, yet they have been looking forward to the reigning rookie’s return…Why?
Fever and their HC Feel the Caitlin Clark Void
The Indiana Fever just played their fifth straight game, and 10th this season, without Caitlin Clark. She is still out with a groin injury. Earlier this year, when Clark missed five games due to a quad strain, the team looked lost and inconsistent. But this time around, things were different, at least at first. The Fever played with way more energy. They were showing a level of teamwork and defensive toughness that had been missing.
They even scored back-to-back dominant wins against top teams like the Minnesota Lynx and Las Vegas Aces. It hinted at a real shift in their identity. Head coach Stephanie White pointed this out before the July 5 game, saying, “I think we’ve found a little bit more of an identity defensively with this group. We’re continuing, offensively, to move the ball a little bit better, to find our spots individually. And I think that that’s helped us.”
But that momentum took a hit when they lost their latest home game to the struggling Los Angeles Sparks, one of the worst teams in the league. The loss was a reality check. Because as good as this group’s chemistry has been, Caitlin Clark’s absence still hurts in close games. White kind of predicted it, “I don’t know that we’re where we’re going to be because Caitlin hasn’t been on the floor. That’s obviously a huge piece for us and what we do.”
Even while praising the team’s improved defense and connectivity, the message was clear. Caitlin Clark is the key to taking the Fever from solid to legit contenders. The foundation’s there, but they need their star back to make the jump.
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