The discourse on the internet right now really takes us back to Fever’s early game against the Washington Mystics. CC sat out due to a quad injury, and there came an 83-77 loss to the Washington Mystics. There was no Clark to orchestrate the offense, the ball did not move, and the offense looked like it was its first time on the court. Who it impacted the most, though, was Aliyah Boston, who, in turn, ended up receiving a lot of flak from fans as she went just 4-of-5 from the field and finished with 10 points.

Now, things got tough for Boston again, as it was announced that Caitlin Clark would be sidelined for her sixth game of the season due to a left groin injury. “I think it’s very much a day-to-day thing, how she responds to treatment,” head coach Stephanie White told reporters after Clark was added to the injury report ahead of the Fever’s game against the LA Sparks. While specifics weren’t disclosed, it was clear Clark would miss at least one game.

And the same storyline continued. The game wrapped up, the Fever lost again, and Boston found herself at the center of blame once more. From tough, things just got tougher for her.

It’s true that the 2023 Rookie of the Year has struggled to maintain offensive consistency when the team’s core playmaker is out. And that pattern repeated on Thursday night as the Fever took on the Sparks. It was a tough loss as Indiana fell 85–75, and the Sparks ended their four-game losing streak. But what truly fired up the fans was Boston’s drop-off. Expected to step up again, she instead finished with just 12 points, 10 rebounds, and five steals. However, there’s more than one reason behind that, and for most, we cannot blame Boston.

Fans target Aliyah Boston as she fails to deliver in Caitlin Clark’s absence!

As Boston started dropping scores that didn’t really match the expectation level of spectators, fans began diving into the comment section, attacking the inefficiency of the Indiana Fever center. “All of a sudden Aliyah Boston can’t score smh,” penned one user. Well, yes, this user is right—especially since AB is averaging 15.9 points per game with 8.2 rebounds. So, her delivering just 12 points is clearly below average. But what makes the Fever fans’ pain more intense is that Boston had been delivering above-average performances in the last three games.

“Aliyah Boston needs Caitlin Clark to return to the court ASAP. Her PPG averages are going to drop precipitously, I swear to God,” added another user. Well, this isn’t the first time she’s faced such a situation, as mentioned before. CC had been sidelined twice before – first missing out on the preseason opener due to a quad injury, and then again for three weeks because of a left quadriceps issue.

So when Clark was out, Boston, then posting an average of 16.8 points per game, was anticipated to shine. After all, Coach White had already made it clear: “We want her to be a scorer and facilitator from all five positions on the floor.” And the 2023 number-one pick is a powerhouse of talent, with the capacity to dominate, create offense, and run efficient pick-and-rolls for the Fever. But even then, Boston struggled miserably when her partner left.

“Aliyah Boston when Caitlin Clark isn’t playing,” penned another user, alongside a GIF showing a confused player. And yes, that’s right, it does look like she is. “Aliyah Boston, you can’t have 12 points when Clark don’t play,” wrote another user. And in case you still have doubts, just consider this: With Clark, she’s played 9 games and has posted 18.6 PPG, 13.1 FGA/G, 10.3 RPG, but without her, she’s played five games and has 11.0 PPG, 7.2 FGA/G, 4.4 RPG. And yes, in case you’re wondering, these are 2025 season numbers.

You know the saying: numbers don’t lie. But here’s the thing – they do not tell everything either. If you watched the game closely, you could see Boston defending in the paint like the big she is and waiting for the ball to come her way. But did that ever happen? Barely. At times, her teammates were hesitant, and other times, they just forgot about her. So, Boston’s 62% FG did not help because the ball didn’t move accordingly.

And honestly, she has held her own and even others’ more often than not this season. She stepped up when the entire team was not feeling like it. Her 57 points on 25-for-37 shooting against the Seattle Storm’s Nneka Ogwumike and the Las Vegas Aces’ A’ja Wilson are proof enough. And that’s exactly why Kelsey Plum stood in her support amidst all the criticism. “Aliyah [Boston] should be an All-Star starter,” said the LA Sparks guard after the game.

So, not everything is on Boston. If the team does not find a way to play without Clark, Boston alone cannot carry everything on her back. As for the All-Star nod, she absolutely deserves it. The team’s okay-okay record should not prove to be a hurdle.