3 Things Caitlin Clark & Fever Need to Outwit Other Championship Contenders

The Indiana Fever have resumed their winning ways after Caitlin Clark and her teammates found themselves struggling in back-to-back games against playoff teams.

They played well until the first of those losses, winning five straight games, some against playoff teams. That was part of a 13-4 run that started in July and gave the league a taste of what the team can do.

Their offensive prowess has been on full display, as the team has recorded 100+ point games every now and then. They are on pace to break the single-season scoring record for a team.

But those two losses brought back questions that were not answered after the two losses earlier this month. The league-leading Minnesota Lynx and third-place Las Vegas Aces, along with their last-month loss to the second-place Golden State Valkyries, exposed the Fever’s vulnerabilities.

After their final game before the FIBA World Cup break, the team will have a chance to go over their schemes. However, they have to do it without Caitlin Clark, Aliyah Boston, and head coach Stephanie White. So the rest of the team has to figure out what they need to improve.

Caitlin Clark and her Fever’s offense needs a bit more variation

The Indiana Fever are on pace to set a single-season record for points scored. Most of that comes from the Big 3 All-Star trio of Caitlin Clark, Kelsey Mitchell, and Aliyah Boston.

They combine to create nearly 2/3rds of the team’s points. But it can also be their undoing, especially when the league’s top defenses clamp down on those three.

That was the problem the Valkyries, the Lynx, and the Aces exposed. So the team needs more variation in its scoring schemes if it’s going to win games against them.

Time and again, it has been pointed out that the Fever’s bench needs to produce more. The overreliance on the Big 3 might not cut it if they reach the later stages of the postseason.

While Lexie Hull has to find some consistency in her production, the likes of Sophie Cunningham, Makayla Timpson, Monique Billings, and others need to contribute more.

To do that, bench players should get more minutes if they’re going to find their rhythm before the playoffs start. This fine balance has to be ironed out during the near three-week break. Then, Caitlin Clark and Boston can get acclimatized before the season resumes.

Fever’s defense has to continue to improve

While scoring a lot of points is one thing, stopping better opponents from outscoring them has been a problem for the Indiana Fever. Their defense has improved significantly since the start of the season, and Caitlin Clark has been a revelation while guarding elite opposing guards.

However, the team needs to keep improving if it wants to stop top-tier opponents. The postseason usually ensures that the best of the best play. That is why the Fever have to find or work on schemes to ensure they don’t fall behind.

Over the past month, the team has improved how it tackles top teams. Starting the much more athletic Makayla Timpson over Monique Billings has helped the team shore up their previously leaky interior.

This is about practicing and perfecting their craft rather than figuring out exotic or significant changes. If the team can get better together by the time the postseason arrives, they should be fine.

Fever have to take care of fatigue for Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston

While the rest of the team can enjoy a few days off and recover, Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston won’t get that luxury. They will be tasked with helping USA Basketball retain their gold medal.

At the Paris Olympics, France nearly upset a veteran-heavy squad. They have gotten younger and more athletic, while also bringing their own improvements from the WNBA.

That means head coach Kara Lawson might be tempted to unleash the young n’ turnts, who displayed at the regional qualifiers in Puerto Rico that their chemistry is good enough to win games on their own.

That mix-and-match will be important to throw international opponents off. The Indiana Fever have to take this into account and ensure that when Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston return, they should not be asked to play at the same rate they currently are.

Players of other teams will also face the same fatigue. Therefore, it would make sense if they allowed these two and Kelsey Mitchell some in-game rest, so that they can be fresh come playoff time.

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