Caitlin Clark is getting more comfortable, and Indiana Fever are starting to win

INDIANAPOLIS – In the middle of the third quarter in the Indiana Fever’s clash with the Chicago Sky, Fever center Aliyah Boston blocked a shot right into the hands of teammate Caitlin Clark. Clark rushed up the floor in transition, giving the ball to Kristy Wallace on the left side of the paint. Wallace returned the ball to Clark, who shoveled a pass to the streaking Boston for an easy layup.

The sequence encapsulated the vision of this Fever team, with a defensive stop leading to the ball popping in transition for an open layup. Plays like that got the Fever a 91-83 win for their second straight victory.

Indiana’s season began turbulently. With No. 1 overall pick Clark thrust into the starting point guard role, Indiana began the year 1-8 and frequently looked incohesive despite its array of offensive talent. But now this team has won four of its past six outings, and its vision is actualizing.

“They’re learning each other, and that’s what this is,” coach Christie Sides said. “This is what’s happening right now — they’re learning each other. They’re learning how to play off each other, they’re recognizing reads off each other.”

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The Fever’s offense is built around four focal points. Clark (No. 1 pick in 2024), Boston (No. 1 in 2023), Kelsey Mitchell (No. 2 in 2018) and NaLyssa Smith (No. 2 in 2022) are the base of this squad’s offensive foundation. While each player has shined in stretches this season, it doesn’t always feel like they’re playing as one connected unit.

But against the Sky, all of those players performed and benefitted one another. Clark had 23 points, Boston had 19, Mitchell had 17 and Smith had 15 as all four players shot over 50% from the field and led Indiana to a 56.5% shooting output. That balance got Indiana to 91 points for the second straight game after not scoring 90 in the first 13 games of the year.

“I just think it puts pressure on other teams’ defense,” Boston said of the balanced attack. “They can’t really focus on one particular person because everyone is getting a feel, everyone is putting the ball in the basket.”

The Fever had a season-high 23 assists as everyone got a taste of the action. Clark tied her career-high with nine assists. While the former Iowa standout has had two 30-point games already, Sunday was the best and most complete game of her young pro career.

Clark was in control the whole way, masterfully picking her spots of when to shoot 3s, when to drive and when to facilitate. She also controlled the pace and wisely dictated when the Fever needed to hurry up the floor and when they needed to run a set play. Clark is gaining comfort with WNBA play, and Sunday’s game was proof.

“One of the biggest things to learn as I go through my rookie season is just finding some consistency,” Clark said. “And obviously, it’s been hard. It’s been a tough stretch at the beginning just with the amount of games we’ve played and the limited practice as I’m trying to get to know my teammates and know the coaching staff, but I feel like I have gotten more comfortable over the course of these games.”

To play like Clark does — where she’s constantly looking to score and facilitate — everyone needs to be on the same page. Between Clark adjusting to facing grown women and the rest of the Fever finding their spots around Clark’s usage, the offense needed time to develop. Games like this show what the Fever can be going forward.

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“Caitlin Clark is a phenomenal player,” Sides said. “And the more she’s in this league, and the longer she’s in the league, and the more she’s playing against these players, she’s getting more and more comfortable.

“She’s getting more and more comfortable with her new teammates. She spent four years with her Iowa teammates, and they did great things. They had some great team chemistry, and I think she’s having those moments with her new teammates.”

Some of Indiana’s offensive success can be attributed to improved defense. Early in Sunday’s game, Indiana forced Chicago into misses, but it couldn’t keep first-round picks Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso off the glass. Reese and Cardoso combined for 10 of Chicago’s 11 offensive rebounds in the first half, leading to 14 second-chance points.

The Fever led by four at halftime, but Sides said she “went in” about the Fever’s lack of rebounding in the locker room. Her team responded by allowing only one Sky offensive rebound in the second half and no second-chance points. Boston (14 rebounds), Clark (eight) and Smith (seven) were crucial to the Fever shifting the tide in the second half.

“We were just trying to make sure that we boxed out,” Boston said. “I think the guards did a good job coming in trying to poke some of those rebounds out from the post just because (the Sky) were getting shots and (the Sky) were just right there at the baskets. … As long as they don’t get it, it does not matter and so we were able to come up with it.”

Improved rebounding efforts allowed the Fever to seamlessly flow into their offense. That offense provided a show to the sold-out Gainbridge Fieldhouse crowd.

This young Fever team is figuring it out. Blending the offensive talent has been a struggle through a month of play, but the chemistry has grown. As a result, so has the win total.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Caitlin Clark is getting comfortable, Indiana Fever starting to win