13 To Go
After tonight’s game, the Indiana Fever are down to only 13 games to go. It would seem that the Fever have elected to make sure Clark is 120% healthy before returning. It will be interesting to see if when she comes back if she indeed has enough time and the Fever have enough time to develop any kind of rhythm going into the playoffs. Most experts think Clark’s comeback will be vs. the Lynx on Friday, August 22. The reasoning is that the Fever will play the Sun on Aug. 17 and the Fever will then potentially have 4 days for the team and Clark to practice. The Lynx game on the 22nd will start a grueling schedule- Lynx, Lynx, Storm, Sparks, Valkyries, Mercury, Sky, Mystics, and Lynx. So it would mean Clark would play in last 9 games of the season, all would be play-off contenders, and three games vs Lynx.
I am not on the inside with medical staff but it would seem to me that during the stretch before Aug 22 when the Fever play the Sky, Wings, Mystics, and the Sun that it might be good to use that stretch against weaker teams as kind of a “pre-season” for Clark. If she could just play 10-15 minutes per game, it would seem like it would be a great way to phase her back in.
End of Road Trip
Bulls fans can probably remember back in the day that the Bulls had good teams but had to go on the dreaded “Circus Road Trip.” The Chicago Stadium hosted a circus and the Bulls went on an extended west coast road trip. There is no circus in Indianapolis but the Fever are ready to return after the extended west cost trip.
This trip has shown that without Caitlin Clark the Fever can still compete vs. some good teams but they have also shown that it is hard to compete every night. It is a struggle for teams when everyone in effect moves up a role on the team or has their role at least changed.
Kelsey Mitchell is an example of how tough it can be. Her point totals have been 35, 8, 23, 9, 34, and 8. There are times she has benefitted from higher useage and other times not so much.
Aliyah Boston without Clark running ball screen action can go periods of time without touches, and she certainly misses getting the ball in the short roll.
Sophie Cunningham has emerged as very good offensive option. Lexie Hull continues to really struggle as a shooter. Since the All-Star break, she is shooting 4 for 31 from threes, and in last four games is a miserable 1 for 16.
Phoenix Painful in Many Ways
Bonner had another good game, and it was obvious that she enjoyed a “pay back game” with Indiana.
I would like to see if any teams have had success pressuring Alyssa Thomas with the ball. I realize that everyone seems to choose sag off her because she cannot shoot. I just wonder if applying ball pressure with an earlier pickup would impact her game.
Prime TV goes with the “hometown” announcers. This is common during NCAA season on ESPN3. Watching Tulsa games all winter, I have heard some “homers” but the Mercury announcers were the worst that I have heard. It was listening to two unfiltered Mercury fans. The award for the worst call of the night was when one announcer commented about Indiana fans booing Bonner in Indiana. “There was no call to boo a wonderful player just because she left the Fever.” It might be because of how she left Indiana- you think?
Podcasts, Podcasts, Podcasts
I know podcasts have ads running on them, but I can’t imagine that they are a generating lots of money, but it seems everyone has a podcast. And it seems like some of the podcasts try to do what they can to stir attention and gain popularity for their podcast.
3’s and One’s- It is an established podcast with Jeff Teague a former NBA player. I have not listened to it but it is very popular. He went on and announced that “Caitlin Clark is good but not that great.” His co-host corrected him and said that she indeed was great. Famous women’s player, Nancy Lieberman came back with, “Jeff, I love you. You weren’t a great player, you were serviceable. Caitlin is a great player.”
Show Me Something- Sophie Cunningham has definitely decided she wants her podcast to be edgy and controversial. She was fined $1500 this week for comments about the WNBA refs. In her defense, her comments were pretty mild. Her comments included: “I’m not saying your job is easy, but players across the league and new fans across the country are like- “What is going on with the refs?”
Cunningham also addressed the booing at Indiana of Dawanda Bonner. Her comments, “If you’re gonna leave, you’re gonnna have to expect getting booed.” She did say she understood her wanting to leave to get a more active role.
Post Moves- Candace Parker and Aliyah Boston have their own podcast. Parker commented that watching Clark on the bench that she will be surprised if Clark doesn’t come back better because of having been able to watch the games and study what is going on.
Parker took a stance that created controversy with WNBA players. Candace said that she thought to wear the t-shirts at the All-Star game saying, “Pay Us What You Owe Us,” and then come out and go thru the motions in the game sent a horrible message. I agree 1000%.
Trump Weigh In?
A former Trump aid penned an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal saying that he thought the DOJ should look into Civil Rights Violations directed by the WNBA toward Clark. I realize everyone’s politics will shape this but it would seem to be an attempt to focus on discrimination of whites that would fit into Trump’s base.
Then today, Stephan A. Smith commented, “If Trump finds this to be an issue that is politically expedient to him, then Trump would use it to feed his base.” All of this seems far fetched and totally unlikely but for many, it would never have been dreamed that Columbia and Harvard could face the possibility of millions of dollars in settlements.
From a WNBA perspective and a Caitlin Clark perspective, it would not be a win for either of them. This is drama that is totally unneeded.
KFAN Minneapolis
KFAN is the largest and most popular sports radio station in Minneapolis. Their most popular host, Dan Barreiro came out this week to explain why the Lynx coach, Cheryl Reeves has not been on their station in a year. When she last went on in the summer of ‘24, Barreiro asked her to explain why Caitlin Clark was kept off the Olympic team. She was so upset with the question that she has refused to appear again.
Jacy Sheldon- Traded Again
Sheldon was traded from Conn to Washington. This will be her third team in under two years. Does that say anything?
Why Trade?
The trade deadline is today- Thursday. I get it that a team might make a trade if they think it will give them a chance to win the whole thing, but to me it better really solidify your team. There are teams who are trading away their draft picks for a player, and the player they are getting will play about 12-13 games and the player-offs. And then they will ALL be free agents unless on a rookie contract.
Game Day Sun Bathing?
Caitlin Clark called out teammates, Lexie Hull and Sophie Cunningham for having spent game day in LA sun bathing and posting it. It certainly did not appear that Hull and Cunningham were treating it as a business trip.
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