What is wrong with Caitlin Clark? Shooting just 26.5% from the field over her last three games is far from what you expect from a player of her caliber. After the loss to the Aces, Clark addressed the slump, saying, “I mean, there are going to be stretches that are really good and there’s going to be stretches that aren’t as good. And obviously it’s frustrating. You want them to go in, and even tonight, I felt like there was a few that felt really good off my hand, and it just didn’t go down.” Unfortunately, those struggles didn’t stop there. Her struggles continued against the Seattle Storm as well.
In the Fever’s win over the Seattle Storm, Caitlin Clark was up against one of the favorites to win the DPOY this year, Gabby Williams. The Seattle Storm forward proved to be a nuisance as Clark finished with just 6 points on 3-of-13 shooting. Even more alarming is the fact that she went 0-for-6 from the three-point line. That now makes her 1-for-23 from deep in her last three games. It’s now the third time this season she’s gone without hitting a single trey. For a player known for making those three-pointers from the logo, this doesn’t look good. Worrying times? Maybe!
But despite her shooting struggles, the Indiana Fever found a way. Not something you often see. Fever had lost their last two games when Clark struggled with her shooting, but not this time. Aliyah Boston scored a career-high 31 points while Kelsey Mitchell contributed with 26 to help sink the high-flying Seattle Storm, who had won their last three games on the trot.
Coach Stephanie White was full of praise for her team after the big win over the Storm. Reflecting on the performance, she said, “We did a really good job of recognizing the hot hand and of recognizing the action that was giving us success and staying with it, going back to it, and finding different ways to manipulate it to get her (Kelsey Mitchell) the ball in position to be successful.”
White’s game plan showed clear adaptation, when Seattle overloaded on Clark’s left step-back, the Fever shifted, running plays to free up Mitchell for open threes and get Boston the ball downhill. That adjustment paid off: Mitchell’s 26 points and Boston’s 31 took the offense forward even as Clark was held in check.
Mitchell finished the game with 26 points on 8-14 shooting from the field. To add to that, she also had 4 rebounds and 4 assists to go with it. But perhaps the most impressive part was the fact that Mitchell, who was shooting close to 32% from beyond the arc this season, managed to go 5-7 from beyond the arc. It was a clear demonstration of how well the Fever spaced the floor and created quality looks for her. And when those opportunities came, she made them count.
Even with her shooting woes, Clark still found ways to make a major impact. How, you ask? Let’s take a look!
Caitlin Clark still finds ways to impact the game despite her shooting woes
Even though Clark shot just 23.1% from the field against the Storm, she found ways to leave her mark on the game. That is what world-class players do. Clark had a game-high 9 assists and made sure her teammates got open looks. Her court vision was on full display, and even WNBA legend Sue Bird recently praised her passing abilities.
May 4, 2025; Iowa City, IA, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) assists guard Sophie Cunningham (8) during the game against the Brazil National Team at Carver-Haweye Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images
“What I think separates her, on top of all the qualities that most great passers have, is that she has strength. Sometimes she’s able to make passes not because she sees it or because she’s reading the defense — yes, those things exist, but that’s not why she’s able to make the pass — she’s able to make the pass because she can actually get it there. The easiest way to see it is with her full-court passes, but they also happen in the half-court. Sometimes she’ll have picked her dribble up, somebody will cut, and she still has the zip to get a backdoor pass off the bounce to her teammate on time.” Bird said on the “No Offseason” podcast
It remains to be seen when Clark recovers from her slump. But if history is any indicator, it’s only a matter of time. What stood out more, though, was how the Fever managed to pull off a win despite her struggles. Coach Stephanie White, who’s faced her fair share of criticism this season, deserves credit for this one. When do you think Clark will manage to get out of this shooting slump? Let us know your thoughts down in the comments below!
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