Can Indiana Fever Keep Winning Without Caitlin Clark? Our Fans’ Verdict

There are several unspoken rules of a three-legged race. Chief among them? You’re only as fast as your partner. Sure, a basketball team has a lot more legs involved, but doesn’t that just make this rule even more important? Every play is a race against the clock, and if even one leg is out of sync, the whole thing wobbles. But, with that, there’s another rule. No blame, mid-game. However, in the WNBA, where there are 44 games, you cannot always abide by that. Last year, Fever fans were convinced Caitlin Clark was dragging dead weight – her teammates were blamed for not helping her out on the court. Come 2025, and suddenly, the script has flipped. Now, the talk is that the Fever aren’t just surviving without Clark, they’re thriving.

So, the question comes up: Can the Indiana Fever win without Caitlin Clark long term? We ran this poll in our recent version of the She Got Game newsletter, and here’s where our readers landed. Out of 397 readers, 186 voted for “Maybe, but not against top teams”. 

Well, that sentiment doesn’t come across as really shocking considering what happened the first time Clark missed a regular-season game. The entire WNBA world did a double-take. The Indiana Fever, who had looked deeper and more balanced than the previous year, suddenly appeared deflated in an 83–77 loss to the Washington Mystics. It felt like all that early-season momentum had vanished in one night. Head coach Stephanie White put it plainly after the game: “Caitlin is really good at finding rim runners, getting the ball up the floor. And that’s one where we gotta be better.”

What White couldn’t have predicted was just how quickly the absence would become the norm. A norm that’s brought with it some noticeable patterns and, naturally, divided opinions. Interestingly, over 120 readers also expressed that they don’t believe Clark’s presence is essential for the team to win. But before we break down everything, let’s take a look at some context. 

With just a glance at the table, you can probably tell that the results have been nearly identical, with a fluctuating difference of a game or two. The perception has more to do with how they have looked as a squad, with and without her. Because, as they say, stats never tell the full story. 

Top Comment by Bob Eichinger

You just said the results are nearly identical???? 8-5 vs 6-7 is not nearly identical. With Clark they win 62% of...more

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Debate

Clark-less Fever For the Win

ESPN analyst Carolyn Peck once stirred this debate with her take. “I think Indiana is even more dangerous when Caitlin Clark doesn’t play. Because she’s a ball-dominant guard,” Peck said. “The ball’s in her hands a lot, so you know what you need to try to take away. But when you look at Indiana now, they have so many weapons. Kelsey Mitchell is playing out of her mind.” 

Last regular season, Mitchell and Clark both averaged 19.2 points per game. This year, though, Mitchell has bumped that up to 20.2, leading Indiana, while Clark has dipped to 16.5. Our readers have noticed the shift, too. One fan put it bluntly: “While Caitlin’s out, Kelsey has stepped up in the scoring, and everyone’s playing defense, even the benchwarmers. There’s not a weak player on the team.”  It’s true. Natasha Howard and Aliyah Boston are the ones anchoring that defensive punch. They are both locking in with defensive ratings of 99.3 and 100.7, respectively.

Another common sentiment said, “They have more continuity without her and fewer turnovers.” That part isn’t just perception; the numbers back it up. Caitlin Clark holds the WNBA record for most turnovers in a rookie season (223). This year, too, she’s continuing to lead Indiana in giveaways. She’s averaging 5.1 TO per game. The next closest Fever player, Natasha Howard, sits at just 2.0. Clark alone accounts for nearly 40% of Indiana’s 12.9 turnovers per game. Candace Parker, though, offered a reminder to keep it in context.

“All of us, young, turn the ball over,” Parker said. “Especially when you’re the focal point (Caitlin Clark) of defense — you’re going to have more turnovers, you’re going to have more live-ball situations. And the competitive element of you, you do tend to take chances early on.” And yes, that sounds like a valid defense of Clark. However, even as one of just three players in league history to average eight or more assists per game, her efficiency takes a hit when you zoom out. The assist-to-turnover ratio is the quick gut-check for elite point guards, and Clark is buried deep here. She doesn’t even crack the league’s top 40, sitting at 1.74. For comparison, Kiana Williams leads the W at a staggering 7.0, with Moriah Jefferson, Tyasha Harris, Shey Peddy, and Natasha Cloud rounding out the top five.

Maybe the rhythm truly is better without her. The latest example came from her “sophomore slump” vs the Aces that resulted in a 89-81 loss. The Indiana Fever lost 2 straight on the night because Caitlin Clark’s sloppy plays led them to lose a 69-69 tie. She ended the night with 19 points (1/10 from 3), 10 assists, 8 TO, and 3 rebounds. So when one person said, “Mitchell, Boston and Howard can work. Cunningham, Hull and the Rookie rounds out productivity for them. Don’t need CC,” this loss was probably buzzing in their head.

Moreover, hear it from Sophie Cunningham herself: “I don’t think that it (Clark’s absence) affects us anymore,” she said. “We put out a statement today that she’s day-to-day, and so we know that as a team. And so that’s helpful to mentally prepare. I really do think that if we have Caitlin, great. We know how to play with her. If we don’t have Caitlin, great. We know how to play without her.” Even Lexie Hull has been enjoying her best year yet. She’s averaging 26.5 mpg while adding 7.3 ppg and 4.4 reb. Unsurprisingly, most of those minutes and stats come with Caitlin Clark’s absence. 

According to Bleacher Report, the Indiana Fever’s defense is a lot better during Caitlin Clark’s absence, as they can diversify their focus instead of protecting her. The report said that, “Opponents shoot 28.5% from deep with Clark on court, compared to 33.2% when she’s on the bench.” And the few slip-ups that Indiana has been having without CC? A fan claims, “if they stop hearing that Caitlin has to be on court for them to win, they may start to believe they can win WITHOUT her on the court and her mouth on the sideline. I don’t like her, her attitude or how the league exposures of her.”

Sure, it’s no secret that the Fever roster often feels overshadowed by Clark’s spotlight. However, a few bold takes like “I think they (Indiana Fever) match up well with any of the other teams in the league,” feel like an overstatement. Because, winning against the league-leading Lynx or the defending champion Liberty? Our readers aren’t entirely convinced…

Fever Minus Caitlin Clark? She Got Game Fans Don’t Hail That Idea

People aren’t entirely sold on Indiana’s ability to thrive without Clark, even with a developed core. “They’re holding their own with veteran leadership from Mitchell and major offseason additions, along with Boston in her third year. But against the likes of the Lynx or New York, that may not be enough.” That take might have some merit. It was always a stretch to put Indiana alongside last year’s Finals participants (the Liberty and Lynx). Mostly because the squad struggles largely during crunch time.

Like when they managed to snap a 3-game winning streak against the 2nd-worst-ranked team (Sparks) in the W. It came largely off the shoulders of Natasha Howard and Aari McDonald.The two absolutely folded in crunch time and fouled throughout the 4th. Not to forget, during her second stint on the sidelines, it became clear just how much of an offensive difference Clark makes. The Fever averaged 8.3 more points per game when she was on the floor. They fired off about 10 more shot attempts, ran the fastbreak more effectively, finished better in the paint, and even crashed the boards harder.

Clearly, Indiana’s pace drops without Clark. Their ability to get quick possessions and exploit transition opportunities vanishes, especially against elite opponents who force the game into a half-court slog. Now with Clark’s regular absence, the fans have been feeling that “Don’t have that killer instinct needed to finish off games.” as teams like “New York and Minnesota are a cut above the rest of the league.” 

“I believe she is the key,” one said. You better believe that because the opponents have been going all out to defend her. Until last year, the average pick-up point for Clark was around 49 feet. This year, it has bumped up to a huge 52.4 feet. Moreover, the teams have also shifted how they guard her. Last season, Clark faced blitzes on 11.3% of her 300+ pick-and-rolls (the highest in the league). But Aliyah Boston and Clark figured out how to get past that strategy. Which is why this year, blitzes are down to 5%, with switches jumping to 16.8%. Afraid to say, that worked as her efficiency has dipped. It dropped from 1.06 PPP vs switches in 2024 to 0.84 this season.

But another thing to note is that the gruesome scheduling and injuries have played a major part in her efficiency. Throw any athlete into that double bind and see what happens. With the WNBA expanding to a 44-game season and slashing rest days, fatigue has become a constant threat – average rest days per game have dropped from 4.03 in 2021 to just 2.7 in 2025. And groin injuries? They’re among the trickiest, sneaking back up just when you think you’re in the clear. Managing them is no walk in the park.

Also, Indiana’s lowest output of 58 since 2017 came without Clark. In four games with Clark early in the season, the team averaged 88 PPG (2nd best in the WNBA). Without her over a five-game stretch, that dropped to just 76.4 PPG, one of the league’s worst marks. Even in the last four games since her right groin injury, Indiana is averaging 83.5 PPG. So, you clearly cannot discount the kind of impact a healthy Clark has. Just look at the two-game skid the Clark-less Fever had against New York. They shot a combined 39.35% from the field. Meanwhile, in the other two games with a Clark-led Liberty, they had a decent 46.5%.

Even if you set aside Clark’s scoring prowess (which, let’s be honest, is hard to do), her elite court vision and the sheer gravitational pull she has on defenses open up plenty of space for her teammates to cook. As one fan put it: “Need points and a floor general.” Another added, “Clark is the leader whether she’s on the court or the bench. Look out when she returns!” Truly, a mix of Mitchell, Cunningham, Howard, Boston, Hull, and McDonald is as steady as any group in the league.

That said, can the Indiana Fever win without Caitlin Clark long term? Maybe, but not nearly as stylishly. Which is why Caitlin Clark’s return is a must. Especially if the Fever hope to take down a healthy Lynx and a defending champion Liberty, who are soon adding Emma Meesseman to their roster! So, pick your side and let us in on it… in the comment section below.