As if it couldn’t get worse for Caitlin Clark. She has been having that nightmare of a run, shooting a dismal 37.4% from the field. Her three-point shot has also disappeared out of thin air, which she couldn’t recoup against the Connecticut Sun, shooting at a measly 1-7 from the 3-point line. And the thing that Clark was desperately avoiding happened. She went off balance while assisting Kelsey Mitchell and seemed to reinjure her groin injury as she walked off in tears.

Head coach Stephanie White addressed Caitlin Clark’s late-game exit, saying, “No update, just felt a little something in her groin. So we’ll evaluate it and see what happens.” The injury did not appear serious enough to trigger immediate concern, but the team will be hoping tests confirm there is no further damage.

The team desperately wants Clark to settle back into her old rhythm, which she hasn’t been in for a long time. As Kelsey Mitchell mentioned after the game, despite Clark’s poor showing, ” I think it’s just about making sure she feels comfortable, getting what she needs, and finding the spots to get. Caitlin is one of those people you just have to see, won’t go in. Uh, man, we’re going to start a job to make sure that happens, and so, what you see won’t go in and get yourself going. It makes it easy for everybody else.”

It’s not only important for the team’s performance but also for morale. The teammates will take their game to the next level, seeing their best player performing well. And her injury woes make her more of a soft target for the opponents. This is the time when she needs the most support from her teammates, and she is getting it. Not only in the form of words and moral support, but also on the court. In both of the last three games, they have had four or more scorers in double digits.

Sophie Cunningham has been on fire off the bench, averaging over 13 points in the Fever’s last three wins while shooting a scorching 14 of 21 from the field. She has picked up the slack from deep, stepping up as a reliable outside threat while Caitlin Clark works through her shooting slump.

Kelsey Mitchell and Aliyah Boston have stayed locked in, continuing to lead with consistency. Natasha Howard has been the veteran anchor this team needs, especially in gritty battles like the one against the Sun. That game felt like it was played entirely at the foul line, and Howard rose to the moment with 18 points, 13 rebounds, 2 blocks, and a steal. This team is buying Clark the time she needs to get back to full strength. Even as her accuracy dips, she still has the green light to take enough shots to try and get her form back.

Indiana Fever Win, But Physical Play Still Exposes Their Weakness

Physicality has been the go-to strategy for Indiana Fever’s opponents throughout this season. Ever since the Atlanta Dream tried it early in the season, it has become a staple. Adding to that, Fever’s primary point guard still has lingering injury woes, so going hard at them is a no-brainer, and that’s what the Connecticut Sun did.

There were 20 fouls from the Connecticut Sun side while the Fever committed just 13, while outbounding the Fever 40-37. The Sun just pushed Fever physically, and Aliyah Boston struggled on the day, scoring just 11 points while shooting 2-6 from the field and having no offensive rebounds. Fortunately for them, Natasha Howard had a blinder of a day, and she covered Boston’s inefficiencies. The Fever allowed 5 offensive rebounds and turned the ball over 12 times, giving Connecticut multiple extra possessions.

Indiana came in with an 11-10 record, facing a 3-18 Connecticut team. But the game was anything but easy. The Sun kept coming, matching the Fever step for step and turning it into a grind. It felt like déjà vu from their last clash. Then Caitlin Clark stepped up in the fourth, taking control when it mattered most and pulling Indiana across the finish line. Fever will also thank the Sun’s inefficiencies from the field, as they shot just 36.1% from the field. The fact that Fever gave away 83 opportunities to this side says a lot about their ability to handle physical play.

The current solution for this seems to be fast-paced basketball from Fever, at least faster than before. That is why they were able to grab the win here with their 21 fast-break points. Stephanie White has work to do as this kind of defensive performance will not work against a more efficient side, and less than 24 hours from now, they face the New York Liberty.