“Can Indiana, who is 11th in opponents’ free-throw attempts, stop fouling Minnesota?”. That’s one critical question Sue Bird raised heading into the Commissioner’s Cup Final. Another one of her concerns was: “Also, can Indiana, who is in the bottom half of the league in turnovers, limit them against a defense that is third in forcing turnovers?” You bet that her stance was on point. After all, heading into the matchup against the Lynx, the Fever were giving away 23.3 free throws while also committing 13.4 turnovers per game. But, in the end, even for Bird, everything depended on Clark’s availability.

Sure, Clark ranked ninth among guards in players’ All-Star voting, even behind her teammate Kelsey Mitchell. And she fell just short of Paige Bueckers’ top guard score (3.25 vs. 3.5). But nothing could erase the fact that 1.3 million fans had her back. She has had some of the best individual performances of any player this season. It includes a triple-double on opening day and a 32-point, eight-rebound, nine-assist effort in her return from her first injury. As Emmanuel Acho said on The Facility, “To rank her as the ninth-best guard leads me to believe that it’s either delusion or it is jealousy.”

So, even though she could not be on the court, her fans certainly left no stones unturned in supporting her. One sign in the crowd summed it up perfectly: “9th in your rankings, 1st in your nightmares.” Speaking of which, as the Fever suited up against the Lynx for the Commissioner’s Cup, Clark was absent once again. This marked her third straight missed game following absences against the Wings and the Sparks, and her eighth absence overall this season. And while fans are clearly sad, they do not want to rush her, especially after the rankings. They want her to come back stronger and show why she’s the best. Thankfully, Stephanie White’s words, too, expressed the same.

Pregame, the interviewer asked White, “With Caitlin and her status, just how did she look? How did she feel today during shootound? And is she making progress and getting closer playing?” Answering with composure, White just repeated what she had said in the afternoon.

“I think I told you this afternoon, is just the long term. Making progress and feeling good are two different things. We want to make sure she feels good, we want to make sure she’s confident, we don’t want to put her in a position to have any setbacks. That’s the priority right now, plain and simple,” White said. And honestly, she’s right. When so much is riding on Clark’s shoulders, caution is not only smart, it’s necessary. Studies scream the same.

One 2022 study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine reported a 31% reinjury rate for athletes who returned to play within 7-10 days of initial groin strain. In many cases, those reinjuries impacted movement efficiency and lateral agility – two things a guard like Clark can’t afford to compromise. Moreover, even in her absence, the Fever has a lot of fire.

“Eyes on the prize,” the Fever had said before the game, and they never let it out of sight. That focus paid off, as they defeated the Minnesota Lynx 74–59 in the Commissioner’s Cup championship, securing a $500,000 prize pool along with a smaller cryptocurrency bonus for each player. Keep in mind that the Lynx currently lead the league in offense, and the Fever managed to beat them without their own offensive anchor, Caitlin Clark. Even more impressive? Five different Fever players scored in double figures. Along with their grit and skills, could it be the good luck of the mix of CC & “Mamba Mentality” gear worn by every coach and even Lexie Hull on the court? They could be spotted wearing Clark’s newly released Kobe PEs.

We still don’t know when Caitlin Clark will be back on the court, but until she is, the Fever have a few things to sort out. While CC’s own words offered a glimmer of hope, the team will need more than that to navigate what lies ahead.

Fever’s Missing Pieces Behind Caitlin Clark’s Injury Woes

“That’s always my goal is to be available for the next game. Doing everything I can with the medical staff to be able to get my body right to be able to do that. But yeah, I feel good and just going day-by-day,” Clark had said. Encouraging as that sounds, rushing a return can be risky. Just look at Jonquel Jones. What started as a mild sprain has now sidelined her for six weeks. That’s exactly why Clark needs to rest and recover properly, especially with the WNBA All-Star 2025 game and a grueling second half of the season looming. But even after she returns, the team will have to ensure she doesn’t go off running into the crowd alone.

Durability may end up being Clark’s biggest challenge in 2025. She’s already missed eight games due to quad and groin injuries. But that’s not all. Another growing concern is how much she’s being asked to do. Too often, the Fever relies on her to create her own offense, with few clean looks generated through the system. That’s partly due to the lack of dependable secondary ballhandlers outside of Kelsey Mitchell. However, if the Fever utilizes Aari McDonald well, with DeWanna Bonner gone now, things could look a lot different.

Sue Bird, who watched Clark play during Indiana’s win in Seattle, pointed this out on her Bird’s-Eye View podcast: “I got to watch Caitlin play in person against Seattle, and one thing I noticed was, it would be really beneficial for her if she had players around her who could create shots for her. Right?” Bird said. “She has to create a lot of her own shots, but she is also creating for her teammates. There are times where, if she could just get some open looks off other peoples’ play. It could be hugely beneficial for her. That’s where Aari McDonald might have some impact.”

Sue Bird did admit that pairing McDonald with Clark could hurt them defensively since McDonald is only 5-foot-6, and that makes her the shortest player on the roster. Still, the early numbers are encouraging. “The good news is when Aari was with the team previously, a lineup of her, Natasha Howard, Kelsey Mitchell, Lexie Hull, and Aliyah Boston had a net rating of 53.1. Very small sample size, but just saying,” Bird noted.

She also highlighted another recent Fever lineup that’s working: “The other thing to note about Indiana is that recently, their small lineup of Kelsey Mitchell, Sophie Cunningham, Lexie Hull, Caitlin Clark, and Aliyah Boston is at a 41.7. These numbers are really high. They can spread the floor, Aliyah Boston can go to work. I would not be surprised to see those lineups.”

Whether that shift takes effect anytime soon remains to be seen. For now, let’s just celebrate the moment. The Fever have claimed their first-ever Commissioner’s Cup title!