Caitlin Clark forgot she is playing basketball. She blocked on the defensive end of the court and sent an over-the-top, very Tom Brady-like pass within the time you could blink to Sophie Cunningham at the other end, who seamlessly layed it in. If that pass was an inch higher than it would have flown over Cunningham; if it was an inch lower, it would have been intercepted. It was just right, showing the genius of Clark.
She was cutting through that Dallas defense throughout the game, getting 13 assists by the final whistle along with 14 points and 5 steals. It marks the fifth time in 13 games this season she’s had a points-assists double-double. All that and she was still limited to just 25 minutes. Her Dallas counterpart wasn’t behind either, as Paige Bueckers had her 8th 20+ point game with 21 points and 4 assists. While Bueckers was a better scorer on the day and has been throughout the season, while providing creative additions as well, this National Analyst thinks Caitlin Clark is still the better player among the two.
Rachel DeMita said on her Courtside Club podcast, “There’s just such a noticeable difference when Caitlin Clark is on the floor, how she playmakes with her team, the kind of passes that she passes to her team, the way that the floor opens up when Caitlin is on the floor because of how the defenses have to adjust to guard her. That is the difference.” Caitlin Clark is the disruptor; she will take the most ridiculous risks and pull rabbits out of her hat when it seems there is no way through. Naturally, people are more gravitated towards her.
We have seen multiple times across last year and this, Clark has been double-teamed more than once; she has been carrying the weight of being the most creative player on the squad, as no one is quite there to provide for her. Along with her nature, her profile is also as unique as any. How many more players in the W have the same range? Even when she is going through a rough patch like she is now, her past CV forces the opposition to defend her like she is in top form, as she can gain that back any time. And for this reason, she is probably the first to be discussed in a team meeting before they face her. The brainstorm from the opposition usually boils down to one thing, according to DeMita.
She said, “One of the biggest strategies for these other teams when they go up against Caitlin, they are as physical as they possibly can be with her. And they really tow the line with the referees. Now, for some reason, still the referees are missing so many calls. I don’t understand how the hand checks, how grabbing somebody on their jersey, how grabbing someone around their hip, how hooking somebody is still allowed.” This is the oldest trick in the book. If you can’t stop them with skill, stop them with force. And Caitlin Clark has been taking that hit, literally, all season long.
There is a reason for those injuries this season, as they are likely the accumulation of all the excessive workload and flagrant fouls from last season. The broadcasters even broke down a play in slow motion and pointed out at least 4 uncalled fouls on Clark in a play. She’s not just defended. She’s stalked. Clark is denied clean catches, face-guarded off the ball, and sometimes scratched on her face, bumped on every screen, and hand-checked the moment she crosses half court. She is among the leaders in the league in most unassisted shots.
Jun 19, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) argues with referee Amy Bonner (31) during the second quarter against the Golden State Valkyries at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
Compare that to Paige Bueckers. She plays within a system that’s built around her. Sets are designed to get her open. Even when her teammate Arike Ogunbowale, one of the league’s top scorers, goes ice cold, like her 0-for-10 performance against Indiana, Bueckers still finds opportunities. Clark rarely gets that kind of breathing room. Now look at the stats. Last season, Clark drew 4.5 personal fouls per game, ranking fifth in the league. This year, that number is steady, but eight players are now ahead of her. The eye test certainly shows us that that number should be higher, and that goes not just for her but for many other players in this league.
DeMita further mentioned that Paige Bueckers is already one of the most elite and consistent guards in the league, “but at this point in time, there is something that is so special about Caitlin,” according to her. And we saw the difference when they faced each other. Paige Bueckers is more consistent, reliable; she will do everything you expect from a guard at an elite skill level. As we saw in the statistical comparison prior to this game, Bueckers is ahead on multiple metrics coming into the game, but everything is not so cut and dry in basketball.
Caitlin Clark’s Shooting Volume Set To Decrease
Even as the spotlight naturally gravitated toward Caitlin Clark and her resurgent performance, it’s important to remember this was a team win for the Indiana Fever. Five players scored in double figures, showcasing a balanced and cohesive offensive effort. Kelsey Mitchell led the way with 20 points, followed by Natasha Howard with 18, Aliyah Boston with 17, Clark with 14, and Sophie Cunningham adding 13.
As we know, Clark herself is going through a bit of a shooting slump; she came into Sunday’s game shooting 4-of-35 from 3-point range in her past five games while shooting at 35% or less in each of those games. She has still used the accelerator and continued shooting while backing herself. However, in this game, she had only 12 shots, which is much lower than her average of 15.1 per game this season. After the game, she looked at this as a positive rather than a lack of confidence on her side.
“There was no reason for me to really shoot that much,” Clark said post-game before scanning the box score, player-by-player. “You look at the box, 12 shot attempts, 12 shot attempts, 11, 9, 9, 8, 7, 6 — just very balanced, and people executed. When we have five people in double figures, I feel like we’re going to be pretty hard to beat.”
Jul 1, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) looks on against the Minnesota Lynx in the second half during the Commissioner’s Cup final at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images
This shows that she is not obsessed with working off her slump as quickly as possible. Even in this game, she shot 4-12 from the field, which still doesn’t come up to her standards. Clark is looking at the bigger picture and understands that players like Kelsey Mitchell and Aliyah Boston are in better form than she is. And the feeling is positive as she “feels like she is a couple shots away from, like, having a really good game.” The other aspects of her game have seen massive improvement in the past games, as she has just 8 turnovers in her last three games, and her intensity on defense has gone up a notch as well. So we can expect a similar attitude unless Clark gets on a hot streak like she did against the Liberty.
In the end, Caitlin Clark continues to stand out because she adapts. Even in a shooting slump, she finds ways to impact the game, lifting her teammates and leading with vision and toughness. Her presence changes how the game is played and how it’s called. As the league grows, how it treats players like Clark will shape its future. For now, she remains the player everyone watches, talks about, and plans for.
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