The Fever fans, no doubt, had a mini heart-attack when they learned that Caitlin Clark will be out of action for an unspecified period with a quad injury, including Indiana’s mouth-watering clash with the Dallas Wings. The fans would have had flashbacks of what happened the last time Clark was out. The team struggled creatively as they went 3-3 without Clark on the floor, which included losses against the Connecticut Sun and the Washington Mystics. 

Now back without Clark for the second time, the Fever struggled once again against the Sparks as they gave up a late lead to drop to a 7-8 record. That dwindling form, along with the Clarks’ absence, put Fever fans in a worry that they might sink further. But Kelsey Mitchell and Aliyah Boston ensured that did not happen. Against Dallas, whose struggles for consistency are well documented, Mitchell scored 32 points while giving 7 assists, and Boston scored 21 and grabbed 6 rebounds. Indiana put on a scintillating display without their talisman, playing with a different style of play, something Dallas’ Paige Bueckers touched upon in her post-match interview.

Bueckers said after the game, “They definitely have like two different styles of play, um, but in both Kelsey Mitchell’s obviously great, um at off-ball moving, uh, coming off a double screens, single screens, pin downs, um, zoom actions, so she’s really aggressive, um, and they look to play through her more tonight.”

The different style of play that Bueckers might be referring to could be the Kelsey Mitchell-centric model that Indiana deployed against the Wings. Mitchell is lethal off-ball, thrives in action-heavy sets, double screens, pin-downs, zooms, and bursts aggressively to score. 60% of her points this season have come from assists. And we saw that against the Wings, as she cut behind the defense multiple times, where she was found by her teammates.

Bueckers further added, “Obviously, with Caitlin out, um, but they have great pieces, um, up and throughout the whole roster. So, they shot extremely well from the floor, and obviously, a part of that is defensively, um, I was trying to make things tougher for them. Um, which is why I think we did a better job in the second half, but they, they’re a complete team.”

Clark provides much of the creativity in this Fever squad, being among the top assisters in the league despite missing games. However, after some initial struggles, the Fever look ready and prepared to play without Clark. Now, many are wondering, could Caitlin Clark’s injury be a blessing in disguise?

Caitlin Clark’s Absence Has a Silver Lining For the Indiana Fever 

With Caitlin Clark sidelined, the Indiana Fever did not just lose their leading scorer and primary playmaker; they lost their talisman. Her absence revealed how much the team relies on her for floor spacing, tempo, and shot creation. As a result, the offense took a noticeable hit, particularly in its ability to generate consistent perimeter threats and create quality looks in the half-court. This was primarily seen in their game against the Sparks. Yet one clear positive emerged. Without Clark, the Fever showed noticeable improvement on the defensive end.

Clark is still developing as a defender. In her second year, she continues to work on her lateral quickness, positioning, and off-ball awareness. Statistically, the numbers reflect those growing pains. She currently leads the league in turnovers at 5.9 per game, nearly two more than the next highest player. Defensively, she ranks 44th among guards with a 100.6 defensive rating. These figures highlight the defensive vulnerabilities that come with her current style of play.

When Clark is on the court for most of the game, as she usually is when healthy, the Fever are forced to protect her on defense. This limits their ability to rotate in a more defensively focused lineup. Her absence, however, gave Indiana the chance to adjust, and the change was immediately felt. In the matchup against Dallas, the Fever started Aari McDonald alongside Lexie Hull in the backcourt. The pairing brought toughness and relentless defensive effort. Both guards consistently pressured the ball, disrupted passing lanes, and made Dallas fight for every shot. This defensive intensity helped Indiana control the tempo early, something they have struggled to do with Clark in the lineup.

More importantly, it allowed Stephanie White and Co. to distribute defensive responsibilities more evenly across the roster. Without Clark logging heavy minutes, the coaching staff had more flexibility to explore new combinations and strategies. This period without her spotlighted a difficult truth. As long as Clark remains a defensive liability, her presence will force the team to make compromises on that end of the floor.

Still, this stretch could prove beneficial long term. It offered Indiana a chance to evaluate other players in expanded roles, strengthen its defensive identity, and identify combinations that work. When Clark returns, these insights could help the Fever build a more complete and resilient team.