Just when it looked like the Indiana Fever had turned things around, they fell flat on their faces. Twice.
On the surface, Caitlin Clark and her crew are still in good shape: above-.500 record, +2.7 differential, no. 7 in the standings. At the moment, however, the Fever are reeling, thanks to two consecutive losses to an Atlanta Dream squad that scored 108 points on Thursday and put up 113 this weekend.
After Indiana’s 17-point blowout loss on Saturday, one fan raised an interesting question on social media:
There’s good reason to think that the idea of a panic button isn’t completely ludicrous in Indiana.
For one, the back-to-back losses to Atlanta bear a number of red flags, mostly on on the defensive end. In each of these two games, the Fever allowed the Dream to shoot at least 50.0 from the field and 46% from three-point distance. Atlanta (led by Allisha Gray, Rhyne Howard, and Clark’s nemesis Angel Reese) also outrebounded the Fever and committed fewer turnovers on both occasions.
Even worse, the Fever’s struggles aren’t limited to the past three days. After playing 16 games, they’re the second-worst team in limiting opponents’ points in the paint and fastbreak buckets. In other words, WNBA teams have been hurting Indiana in both up-tempo situations and halfcourt slugfests.
So, Is It Time for Caitlin Clark and Indiana Fever to Hit the Panic Button?
The Fever’s numbers on the defensive end are quite underwhelming, but it’s not like they’ve crossed the point of no return. They haven’t reached the halfway point of the season, and while there’s plenty of time for them to fix their flaws, head coach Stephanie White and her staff would do well to weed out bad habits before it’s too late.
Last year, the Fever were a middle-of-the-pack team in terms of defensive rating at the end of the regular season. In order for this team to take a leap on this end of the floor, they’ll have to do a better job of clogging the paint and running back after misses. Even better, the Fever can improve their shot selection, so that opponents don’t grab a ton of defensive rebounds and go on one fastbreak after another.
With 28 games left in the regular season, it’s not time for CC and her teammates to panic. But, as for planting the seeds of wielding a better defensive presence, any time is a good time.
READ MORE: Jason Whitlock Rips Caitlin Clark’s Leadership While Touting Angel Reese’s On-Court Maturity
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