Sometimes, it’s when someone isn’t on the court that you really feel their impact. Caitlin Clark sat out her first regular-season game, and suddenly, everything felt… off. The Indiana Fever lost 83-77 to the Washington Mystics—not a blowout, but the noise around it was deafening. Clark, fully dialed in from the bench, had to be gently nudged away by Coach Stephanie White. But while she watched intently, it was Aliyah Boston who found herself under the spotlight. Not in a good way. Fans weren’t just mad about the loss. They were pointing fingers, and Boston was right in the crosshairs.

Social media lit up with criticism. Some fans questioned her effort. Others mocked her influence on the game. But here’s where things get tricky: Boston wasn’t bad. Not even close. She went 4-of-5 from the floor, hit 2 of her 4 free throws, grabbed 7 rebounds, dished out 4 assists, and added 2 steals. On paper, that’s solid. So what’s the problem?

It’s what didn’t happen that tells the story.

Without Clark, Indiana’s floor general, the offense didn’t flow to Boston like it should have. In fact, it barely flowed at all. Normally, you’d expect your next-best player to step up when your star is out. But Boston’s usage tanked. Over her last four games with Clark, she averaged nearly 13 field goal attempts per game (12.75). Only once did she dip below double digits, and that was against Atlanta—likely because Brittney Griner was patrolling the paint.

Against the Mystics, Boston attempted just five shots—the fewest she’s taken all season. For someone who shoots nearly 60% from the field in her career, that’s not just a missed opportunity—it’s a self-inflicted wound. Indiana had one of its most efficient offensive weapons on the floor and barely looked her way. Coach White even hinted at the issue earlier this week after Clark’s injury, telling Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files: “You know, you might not see as much of A.B. getting the ball on a dive and a pick-and-roll as you would in some of the other off-ball screening actions that get her to that point.”

Translation? If the system doesn’t put the ball in her hands, she can’t do much. And that’s exactly what unfolded. The Fever, without Clark’s passing, vision, and gravity, looked disconnected. The offense stalled. Ball movement dried up. They settled for jumpers and ignored their All-Star big. The result wasn’t just a loss; It was a collapse. And that is why some fans are finding fault.

Fans react to Aliyah Boston playing after Caitlin Clark’s injury leads to the Fever’s loss

One fan nailed it when they wrote, “Aliyah Boston sees a major decrease in usage without Caitlin Clark. Usually, when your star player is OUT, the next best player’s usage soars high—but that’s not the case with Boston.” Well, they’re onto something… kind of.

Yes, Caitlin Clark was out. And yes, Boston didn’t take over the game. But that’s not because she couldn’t—it’s because she didn’t get the chance. 19 of her 31 made shots in the previous 4 games had come off the 2024 ROTY. But without that support, the spotlight shifted elsewhere… and those players didn’t exactly shine.

Kelsey Mitchell took 16 shots from the field but only made 4 of them—just 25%. It was one of those cold shooting nights. Meanwhile, DeWanna Bonner did step up, going 5-of-10 from the floor and 2-of-4 from deep to score 21 points and anchor the Fever offense. Still, it wasn’t enough to keep up with the Mystics’ three-headed monster of Shakira Austin, Brittney Sykes, and rookie Sonia Citron. Kiki Iriafen joined the part, too, though a little late.

Then came another fan comment:
“So, Aliyah Boston can only score when Caitlin Clark is playing lol… ok got it!”

Let’s be real—Boston did play well. She scored 10 points on just five shots (4/5 from fg). That’s 80% efficiency from the floor. The problem isn’t that she can’t ball without Clark—it’s that without Clark, she doesn’t get the open looks. Boston thrives on good positioning, smart post work, and yes, quality feeds. And nobody delivers those feeds quite like Caitlin Clark.

Another fan chimed in, writing, “So what you’re saying is… Aliyah Boston gets only one touch if Caitlin isn’t playing?”

Exactly the issue. With Clark expected to miss a few more games, White needs to find a way to get Boston more involved, especially when other scoring options like Mitchell or Cunningham go cold. Whether that means reworking sets or empowering the point guards to feed the post more deliberately, something has to change.

“Aliyah Boston needs to be getting more touches, Coach,” mentioned another social media user.

Yes—and that’s putting it lightly. The Fever’s entire offense looked disjointed without Clark, and it showed not just in scoring but in playmaking. Indiana averaged just 15 assists without Clark, a steep drop from their season average of 19.5. That lack of ball movement made it even harder to get Boston going.

And then there was this fan, who stated:
“I don’t wanna do the whole victory lap with Aliyah Boston, but you idiots who discredit Caitlin get to see what her life is like when she’s not getting fed on a platter.”

Sure, Clark’s presence boosts Boston’s output. That’s what elite guards do—they elevate everyone. But let’s not rewrite history. Boston was the 2023 Rookie of the Year without Clark. She averaged 14.5 points per game that season, and it has remained steady even after Clark joined in 2024. The difference? Her assists went up—from 2.2 to 3.2 per game—because of better spacing and more touches. This year, Clark’s passing and White’s system allowed Boston to jump to 18.5 PPG. So yes, Clark feeds her, but Boston still does the work.

Let’s not pretend she’s just a passenger. If the Fever wants to stay afloat while Clark is out, they have to re-center the offense around Aliyah Boston. She’s too efficient, too smart, and too good to be this invisible.