Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, Paige Bueckers vs. the Old Guard: What Their 3 Teams Must Do to Win the Title

Last season, there was hope among new fans that Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, and Paige Bueckers would show the WNBA’s old guard how the new generation of players operates.

The trio is part of the golden generation that is poised to keep pumping prospects who are more skilled, talented, athletic, and exciting than the league has had for nearly three decades.

They have brought new fans into the league, and they generally believe that these three will start dominating the league soon, since their overall ability is better than the current lot.

However, it takes time for those hopes to come to fruition. Not only do college players take time to adjust to the pros, but their bodies have to grow to take the punishment grown women dish out.

That leads to injuries, and all three of them had the fair taste of their time on the injury report last term. That is why none of them were involved in the playoffs, even though Clark’s teammates went up to the semi-final stage.

This season, that is thankfully no longer the case, and all three are playing exceptional basketball. All of their respective teams are in the playoff battle, with all three equipped to fight and win a championship.

While Caitlin Clark’s Indiana Fever might have the edge over the other two after wins against them, Angel Reese’s Atlanta Dream are not a few tweaks away from a proper battle. Neither is Paige Bueckers’ Dallas Wings.

However, all three of those squads are not yet ready to dethrone the Las Vegas Aces or even battle against the Minnesota Lynx. Heck, they may not even be able to take on the defensively excellent Golden State Valkyries. With those three teams ahead of them in the standings, there are some tweaks they all need to truly push for a title.

Caitlin Clark’s Fever have to improve their rotation

Among all three teams, the Indiana Fever had the worst start to their season, losing four games to the three losses the Wings suffered, while the Dream lost just two.

But since then, they have turned it around and have put together the best record among all three teams. Part of that is the schematic change that allowed the team to lean into their high-powered offense while still improving their defense.

Now, that latter part has improved to the point where the weakest defender on paper is performing her tasks well enough that her head coach had to shower her with praise.

Caitlin Clark’s defensive contribution may not show up on paper, but she does what she is asked to do. So has the rest of the team, who now have the game plan and the execution to handle teams much bigger than them.

But in that process of nailing down a rotation, minutes distribution, and game plan, the Indiana Fever ended up relying on a certain number of players, while their bench does not contribute as much.

That will not work in the playoffs. The Big 3 of Caitlin Clark, Kelsey Mitchell, and Aliyah Boston may be performing at a high level. But one injury, or a properly executed defensive coverage, could nullify one of them.

It is in those moments when teams need other players to contribute. But some role players not even getting meaningful minutes is robbing them of a chance to build any rhythm. The Fever needs to give their rotational players more game time to help build their confidence.

Angel Reese and her Dream teammates have to stop forcing the shot

The Atlanta Dream have the same problem as mentioned about the Indiana Fever. Head coach Karl Smesko is a little too dependent on Angel Reese and her fellow starters.

The only other players who get meaningful minutes are Brionna Jones, Isobel Borlase, and Madina Okot. That tactic may work in the postseason, but an injury could complicate matters. No playing time can lead to rust, which is dangerous in the playoffs.

However, the Dream have a bigger problem at hand. Apart from Borlase and Okot, the other six players tend to take too many shots, or worse, force the issue even when not shooting well.

Reese has a history of continuing to attempt layups even when she is missing. But now, that problem seems to have spread to others. In their loss to the Indiana Fever, Rhyne Howard attempting a three-point shot when all they needed was a 2-pointer was a clear indication of that problem.

What compounded matters is that the attempt was Howard’s seventh miss from the perimeter. In the postseason, opponents will thrive and create points off possessions from those misses.

The All-Star caliber players have to turn it down, or at least look for the extra pass. However, it is on Smesko to encourage them not to go hunting for something when they are having a bad shooting night.

Paige Bueckers’ Wings struggling with consistency due to head coach’s decisions

Before the All-Star weekend, Paige Bueckers and her Dallas Wings put together an impressive 7-1 record. Since the festivities, they have lost six and won just two against struggling teams.

Two of those losses came when All-Star center Jessica Shepard was out with an injury, and No. 1 overall pick Azzi Fudd has missed a few more games. This is exactly what is the reality when a team depends too much on a fixed set of players to win games.

The Dream and Fever ought to learn from the Wings’ misfortune, as the Texas-based squad’s bench players have not been able to produce on the floor. Most of the fault lies with head coach Jose Fernandez. Rather than accepting accountability, he has made it a habit of calling out his players.

Had he designed a better rotation, his players may not have struggled this much when two starters are out. Restricting co-Defensive Player of the Year Alanna Smith to benchwarmer minutes, and not distributing that to other backup players, has led to this inconsistent play.

Many hailed this team as a franchise that won the offseason. However, a team on paper is as good as how they are instructed to play. Forcing Smith to now hold down the fort after not playing that role for most of the season is asking too much of any player.

Every athlete needs rhythm and practice, and starters particularly need minutes. Therefore, if Fernandez wants to save this season from going to waste and actually push this team to compete for the title, he needs to rethink his rotations immediately.

They still have time to get to know their roles and play accordingly. If the Wings can fire even with the playoffs a week away, it is enough. Paige Bueckers and her teammates are too talented to be eighth in the standings.

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