3 Adjustments Caitlin Clark’s Fever Needs After Loss to Lynx Raised Question Marks
Caitlin Clark and her Indiana Fever lost two important games to fellow playoff contenders in less than a month.
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Caitlin Clark and her Fever have to take the next step (Image via Coach Markus/X)
There are just fifteen regular-season games left for Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever before they start preparations to tackle the playoffs in the hopes that they can win the 2026 WNBA championship.
That goal has been around since last season, but injuries to the superstar point guard stopped that dream in its tracks. This time, not only is she healthy, but the Iowa native has been performing at a career-high level so far.
Along with the superlative performances of fellow All-Stars Kelsey Mitchell and Aliyah Boston, there is hope that the Big 3 will power the Fever to their first title in more than a decade.
Their eight out of ten wins in July were all the indication that fans and analysts needed to proclaim them as possible title contenders. Even the performance of some of their bench players added to those hopes.
However, the second of those losses came against the Golden State Valkyries, who exposed the Fever’s vulnerabilities when defended well. The way the league’s highest-scoring offense collapsed against the WNBA’s best defense was telling.
But the team pointed out that they were not playing to their best and needed to improve. Since then, they have won five straight games, and the belief returned. However, a close loss to the Minnesota Lynx brought up additional questions that Caitlin Clark and her teammates need to find answers to before it is too late.
Caitlin Clark and her teammates need to find their next gear
That Big 3 of Caitlin Clark, Kelsey Mitchell, and Aliyah Boston has been sensational on offense. Even the point guard’s improved defense has helped the team on the opposite end.
However, that was all good and dandy when facing mid-tier and poor teams. Against the league leader, that is the Minnesota Lynx, the trio needed to find their next gear.
Mitchell did, to the tune of a game-high 37 points, while shooting 75% from beyond the three-point line. She did her part, but her fellow superstars did not. Clark finished with just 19 points while missing 77% of her attempts from beyond the arc.
Boston simply did not do enough to counter that deficit, even though she was guilty of leaning too much into her career-high three-point percentage. Overall, those misses saw them lose to the Lynx by eight points.
Unless all three of the Big 3 figure out how to step up when playing against the best teams, these losses will be difficult to overcome. Caitlin Clark has played exceptionally well over the last month. But she needs to dig into the competitive drive that saw her explode against the best college teams.
Fever’s supporting cast needs to get involved more in the offense
Even though leaning into the Big 3 of Caitlin Clark, Kelsey Mitchell, and Aliyah Boston has reaped rewards, it would help if the rest of the team could pitch in with their contributions, particularly on offense.
A player can have an off-night, chances of which increase multifold in the playoffs. The league may have increased the number of games per series, but it would help if the bench could contribute more than what they did against the Lynx.
Even if a combination of three or four players gets those nine points, the Fever could have extended their winning streak, as well as their march up the league standings. They are losing ground every time they lose, and so are their chances of winning home-court advantage.
Those bench players’ production can also help Caitlin Clark and her fellow top scorers take more breathers. Currently, they are logging more than 30 minutes every game. Opponents know the Fever bench can make or break the game, which is why they go after them as hard as they do with the starters.
With the FIBA World Cup and postseason not far away, it will help if the players can find a way to help their three superstars reduce their minutes. Their energy will be key in the postseason.
Caitlin Clark and her teammates have to step up their defense
While the offense might improve, considering Caitlin Clark and her teammates have an extra gear to engage, their defense has left many puzzled. Time and again, the team has relied too much on the offense, simply because on the opposite end, they have not been anything better than average.
There is an old saying that offense wins regular-season games, while defense wins championships. By that opinion alone, the Indiana Fever have been struggling this season.
Most of their losses have been winnable games. That shows how much they need to improve on the defensive end if they are to believe that they can contend for the 2026 WNBA championship.
The Golden State Valkyries’ defense stifling them should have been enough of an indication. But the loss to the Lynx should force them to open their eyes. After all, some better defense could have tilted the game in their favor.
Unless the Fever fix these problems, there is no way they can consider themselves championship contenders. This month has quite a few tough matchups. But the timing could not have been any better.
Learn from their mistakes and design, practice, and implement changes so that when the postseason arrives, they will be ready. Otherwise, Caitlin Clark and her teammates will likely rue another missed opportunity.
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Joseph Varghese
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