34, 31, 31, 28, 27, 27! These are not just some random numbers. Those are the actual distances from which Caitlin Clark hit her threes against the New York Liberty. For context, the three-point line in the W is 22 feet. So yes, Caitlin was basically just pulling up from the parking lot. And if you go search “Caitlin Clark highlights” right now, no one would be surprised if all we see are deep threes and halfcourt lasers. Since her Iowa days, she’s been making defenders sweat from the second she crosses halfcourt. So when that magic touch disappears, people start talking. But is Clark losing sleep over it? Not even close.

After knocking off the then-unbeaten Liberty and taking down the Connecticut Sun in a thriller, Caitlin and the Fever looked like they were finally heating up. Especially in that Liberty win, where the whole team basically turned the three-point line into their playground. But right when things were looking up, the slide began. It started out west, when Indiana took on Golden State’s Valkyries. They led in three out of four quarters but completely dropped the ball in one, and sometimes, that’s all it takes. One bad stretch, and the Valks grabbed the win.

And then came Vegas. The Fever rolled into T-Mobile Arena with Caitlin looking to notch her first-ever win over the Las Vegas Aces. And it actually looked promising. Indiana got out to a double-digit lead early, tied things back up in crunch time, and even had a three-point lead heading into the final quarter. But they just couldn’t hang on. A’ja Wilson and the Aces closed things out strong, and the Fever took their second L in a row, 89-81. At the center of it all? Clark’s shooting slump.

Let’s rewind to Thursday vs the Valkyries. Clark went just 3-of-14 from the field and missed all seven of her attempts from deep. Total: 11 points. Then came Sunday in Vegas. Better, but still not great. Clark went 7-of-20 overall and just 1-of-10 from three. That means across the last two games, she’s 1-of-17 from beyond the arc. That’s a brutal 69-minute cold streak for someone who normally shoots it like it’s a layup.

But she’s not freaking out. “There are going to be stretches that are really good and there’s going to be stretches that aren’t as good,” Clark told reporters after Sunday’s loss. “Obviously, it’s frustrating as you want them to go in. Even tonight I felt like there was a few that felt really good off my hand and they just didn’t go down.”

Now, that’s not to say she wasn’t still contributing. She dropped 19 points vs the Aces and, more importantly, dished out 10 assists. And that’s what people sometimes forget – While Clark is a great shooter, her playmaking is what makes her elite. Defenders swarm her at the arc, which opens up the floor for her teammates to get going. She had 9 assists against Golden State too, so it’s not like she’s disappearing on the court. But for someone who’s used to raining threes like confetti, this stretch stings a little.

Still, Clark knows it’s only temporary. “Certainly it was a tough shooting night,” she said. “I got to find a way to continue to shoot and remain confident in myself because I know I’ve put the time in. I don’t feel like it’s anything that’s off necessarily, but yeah, it would’ve been nice if they went down.”

Right before this cold streak, Clark had gone 11-for-20 from deep in just two games. So, there’s no reason to hit the panic button. Even her coach, Stephanie White, kept it cool after the loss. “I’m not worried about Caitlin’s shot. Caitlin’s shot is going to be just fine,” she said. Now the Fever head back home with a shot at redemption against the Seattle Storm on Tuesday as Clark looks to bounce back, and the team will try to snap a two-game skid.

But that game also marks another big loss. 

Caitlin Clark & Co. to lose another key piece 

As if things weren’t already tricky with DeWanna Bonner away from the team (and with no return timeline in sight, per coach White), Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever are set to lose yet another key contributor. This time, Damiris Dantas.

The Brazilian big is heading to Chile to represent her national team at the upcoming FIBA AmeriCup. Once the Fever wrap up their road trip in Seattle, Dantas will depart and miss five games between June 26 and July 8, including the Commissioner’s Cup final. So it’s a big blow at a critical stretch in the season.

Dantas might not be grabbing headlines like Clark or Boston, but she’s quietly become an important piece in Indiana’s frontcourt rotation. In her second season with the Fever, the veteran center has appeared in 12 games, averaging 4.6 points and 2.6 rebounds in just over 11 minutes a night. Her shooting is solid 36.2% from the field, 33.3% from deep, and an impressive 85.7% from the line.

Now with both Bonner and Dantas out, that frontcourt depth takes a serious hit. Expect to see more minutes for veteran Brianna Turner and rookie Mikayla Timpson. But even with their hustle, it might not be enough to cover two big absences. The Fever could be down to just nine available players.

Which brings us to hardship contracts.

If Bonner stays out long enough, Indiana might get the green light to bring in another emergency hardship player. They’ve done it once already this season. Remember when Aari McDonald stepped in while Clark and Sophie Cunningham were sidelined? McDonald’s is still available, but what the Fever really needs now is a frontcourt body.

So, will we see a new face in Indiana soon? Or will Clark & Co. try to tough it out with what they’ve got?