Caitlin Clark made 6% of 3-pointers in last 2 games. Why Fever aren't worried about shooting slump
LAS VEGAS — As Caitlin Clark dribbled down the court in the second quarter of Indiana's game against Las Vegas on Sunday afternoon, she saw a familiar sight: defenders waiting to pick her up above half court.
It's become the usual routine for players defending Clark — they need to pick her up at halfcourt, because when she crosses that timeline, all bets are off. She can score from anywhere.
And sometimes, even the best defense isn't good enough.
Aces guard Chelsea Gray picked her up at half court, but it quickly switched so that A'ja Wilson, the 6-foot-4 reigning MVP, was defending Clark well past the 3-point line. Her arm was high up in the air, looking to prevent one of Clark's infamous long range 3-pointers.
Still, Clark saw an opportunity.
She dribbed multiple feet behind the 3-point line and threw the ball up in a high arc, avoiding the hand of a jumping Wilson. And, as implausible as it may have been, it fell into the net with ease.
It was a quintessential shot from Clark, the only player in the WNBA who is able to make those long-range 3-pointers consistently. She doesn't see what's improbable. She only sees a way that she can make that shot possible.
That's why Fever coach Stephanie White thinks she's going to be just fine, even in the midst of a shooting slump for the Fever star.
Clark has gone 1 of 17 from 3-point range in the past two games, with her only made 3 being the one that she shot over Wilson's outstretched hand. It's an atypical stretch for the Fever guard, who averages 2.9 made 3-pointers a game (and made seven against the New York Liberty a week ago).
In Sunday's 89-81 loss to the Aces, Clark scored just five points in the first half on 2-of-9 shooting. She finished with 19 points, near her average, but shot just 7 of 20 and 1 of 10 from 3-point range.
'There's going to be stretches that are really good, and there's going to be stretches that aren't as good, and obviously it's frustrating,' Clark said. 'You want them to go in. And even tonight, I felt like there was a few that, like, felt really good off my hand, and you just didn't go down. And, you know, even the midrange jump shot to start the fourth quarter, and the 3 to start the fourth quarter like they both felt good off my hand. So, it's just frustrating.'
But all players go through shooting slumps. And White has all the confidence Clark's going to bounce back.
'I think the biggest thing is what we have to do as a staff to get her better looks, higher quality looks,' White said. 'Every game plan is going to be to make her score inside the 3-point line, right? And the different ways that they're going to do that — physicality, coverage, switching bodies, all the different things. And we have to do a better job of getting her higher quality looks. I'm not worried about Caitlin's shot. Caitlin's shot is going to be just fine. What I am worried about is those 18 turnovers for 28 points.'
3 lessons: Caitlin Clark's struggles continue, Fever make rotation switch in another loss to Aces
Clark had eight of those turnovers, with two coming at a pivotal time in the game. The Fever were tied at 69 when Clark brought the ball up the floor, and Gray poked the ball out, stealing down the court. That play ended with a foul on Boston, and Wilson making two free throws.
The next Fever possession ended in a turnover as well, as Clark miscalculated a bounce pass to Boston in the backcourt. Aces guard Jackie Young easily stole the ball, going up for an uncontested layup to put the Aces up four points.
'I think the little things we've kind of just shot ourselves in the leg consistently doing that,' Clark said. 'We turn the ball over, we foul a lot. You know, those are just easy points for them … they had (28) points off of our turnovers, and that falls on me. I think I have to really get us into stuff, especially in the fourth quarter, I didn't do a good job of taking care of the ball. So I think it just starts with me and just getting better with that.'
Turnovers have always been a part of Clark's game, but she's found a way to minimize their impact, mostly, as she's improved throughout her two seasons in the league. Clark has still, too, found other ways to contribute and facilitate in this two-game slump beyond the arc.
She had eight assists in the first half of Sunday's game. Six of them went to center Aliyah Boston, who had 16 first-half points. She finished the game with 11 assists, adding onto a nine-assist game against the Valkyries on Thursday.
'I think the challenge for myself going forward is just continue to pour into every other aspect of the game, and where I can continue to have an impact,' Clark said. 'And, you know, all those other areas, I thought I got to the rim well, it's just certainly a tough shooting night. And you know, I've got to find a way to continue to shoot and remain confident in myself, because I know I put the time in. But for me, I don't feel like it's anything that's off, necessarily, but yeah, it would be nice to see them go down.'
Chloe Peterson is the Indiana Fever beat reporter for IndyStar. Reach her at capeterson@gannett.com or follow her on X at @chloepeterson67.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fox Sports
7 minutes ago
- Fox Sports
Oklahoma City Thunder win first NBA title with dominant defense in Game 7
Associated Press OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The Oklahoma City Thunder won their first NBA title with a heavy dose of an old standby –- their stingy defense. The Thunder, who led the league in defensive rating in the regular season and the playoffs, turned in another gem in Game 7 of the NBA Finals, a 103-91 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Sunday night. Oklahoma City held the Pacers to 41.4% shooting in the deciding game, far below the 48.4% Indiana shot in the playoffs overall. The Thunder forced 21 turnovers and blocked eight shots. 'You have to really grind it out,' Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. 'It's an endurance race. You have to be able to win in the mud. You have to be able to win ugly, have to be able to gut it out. That's what we did. The team did an unbelievable job of that.' The defensive effort, combined with another strong offensive performance by Finals MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, put Oklahoma City over the top. The Thunder became the youngest NBA champions since the 1976-77 Portland Trail Blazers, with an average age of 25.68 years. 'It's one of the biggest moments in city history,' Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt said. 'We've achieved sports immortality, and that will open doors in our community far beyond basketball for years, decades to come. It's a very, very special day we can build upon forever.' Chet Holmgren led the way with five blocks, the most by a player in an NBA Finals Game 7 since blocks were first recorded in the 1973-74 season. 'Honestly, I never really play for records,' the 7-foot-1 forward said. 'I never play for stats. All that will be forgotten. But us winning is forever. It's immortal. I'm just so happy we were able to do that together as a team.' Thunder guards Lu Dort, Alex Caruso and Cason Wallace each had three steals. Indiana played most of the game without guard Tyrese Haliburton, who suffered a lower right leg injury in the first quarter. Bennedict Mathurin did his best to help the Pacers stay in the game with 24 points and 13 rebounds. Another spectacular effort by veteran TJ McConnell prevented Oklahoma City's swarming defense from being even more dominant. McConnell scored 16 points on 8-for-13 shooting, confounding Thunder defenders with crafty moves around the basket. But he also had seven turnovers. 'Their pressure can really get to you, but I was just trying to be aggressive and had some uncharacteristic turnovers, but that happens,' McConnell said. 'Just proud of the fight. We fought to the end. Credit to OKC. They are just really good.' Pascal Siakam, who had caused problems for the Thunder throughout the series, was held to 16 points on 5-for-13 shooting. Dort, an All-Defense first-team selection, gave Indiana credit for hanging tough. 'I mean, they're a great team,' he said. 'They've got great players. I feel like we was just trying different stuff to mess them up and to disturb them. We threw them a lot of different defensive stuff. We were just trying to slow them down.' ___ Freelance writer Conrad Evans contributed to this report. ___ AP NBA: recommended
Hamilton Spectator
10 minutes ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Oklahoma City Thunder win first NBA title with dominant defense in Game 7
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The Oklahoma City Thunder won their first NBA title with a heavy dose of an old standby –- their stingy defense. The Thunder, who led the league in defensive rating in the regular season and the playoffs, turned in another gem in Game 7 of the NBA Finals, a 103-91 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Sunday night . Oklahoma City held the Pacers to 41.4% shooting in the deciding game, far below the 48.4% Indiana shot in the playoffs overall. The Thunder forced 21 turnovers and blocked eight shots. 'You have to really grind it out,' Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. 'It's an endurance race. You have to be able to win in the mud. You have to be able to win ugly, have to be able to gut it out. That's what we did. The team did an unbelievable job of that.' The defensive effort, combined with another strong offensive performance by Finals MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, put Oklahoma City over the top. The Thunder became the youngest NBA champions since the 1976-77 Portland Trail Blazers, with an average age of 25.68 years. 'It's one of the biggest moments in city history,' Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt said. 'We've achieved sports immortality, and that will open doors in our community far beyond basketball for years, decades to come. It's a very, very special day we can build upon forever.' Chet Holmgren led the way with five blocks, the most by a player in an NBA Finals Game 7 since blocks were first recorded in the 1973-74 season. 'Honestly, I never really play for records,' the 7-foot-1 forward said. 'I never play for stats. All that will be forgotten. But us winning is forever. It's immortal. I'm just so happy we were able to do that together as a team.' Thunder guards Lu Dort, Alex Caruso and Cason Wallace each had three steals. Indiana played most of the game without guard Tyrese Haliburton, who suffered a lower right leg injury in the first quarter . Bennedict Mathurin did his best to help the Pacers stay in the game with 24 points and 13 rebounds. Another spectacular effort by veteran TJ McConnell prevented Oklahoma City's swarming defense from being even more dominant. McConnell scored 16 points on 8-for-13 shooting, confounding Thunder defenders with crafty moves around the basket. But he also had seven turnovers. 'Their pressure can really get to you, but I was just trying to be aggressive and had some uncharacteristic turnovers, but that happens,' McConnell said. 'Just proud of the fight. We fought to the end. Credit to OKC. They are just really good.' Pascal Siakam, who had caused problems for the Thunder throughout the series, was held to 16 points on 5-for-13 shooting. Dort, an All-Defense first-team selection, gave Indiana credit for hanging tough. 'I mean, they're a great team,' he said. 'They've got great players. I feel like we was just trying different stuff to mess them up and to disturb them. We threw them a lot of different defensive stuff. We were just trying to slow them down.' ___ Freelance writer Conrad Evans contributed to this report. ___ AP NBA:
Axios
12 minutes ago
- Axios
Pacers fight to the end in Game 7 loss
The 2025 NBA Champions needed seven games and one torn Achilles to beat the Pacers Sunday night. Why it matters: Oklahoma City's triumph brings Indiana's historic — and at times magical — postseason run to a heartbreaking conclusion and keeps our basketball-loving city NBA championship-starved for another season. Driving the news: The Pacers lost 91-103 to the Thunder. OKC's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added NBA Finals MVP honors to his league MVP credentials after dropping 29 points and 12 assists in Game 7. Zoom in: A gut-wrenching moment for Pacers fans came with 4:55 left in the first quarter when Tyrese Haliburton collapsed to the court in pain. Reports of a torn Achilles that began to roll in after the All-Star was helped to the sidelines, confirming that Haliburton would once again have to watch his team finish the postseason from the sidelines. Yes, but: The toughness that defined Indiana's postseason run was on full display as the team continued to trade leads with Oklahoma City for the remainder of the first half despite losing their superstar point guard. That resilience wasn't enough to keep the Thunder contained after the break, and a third quarter that saw the Pacers outscored 34-20 was too much to overcome without the threat of another Haliburton game-winner in the chamber. Between the lines: Fans can take solace in knowing one of the best Pacers teams ever may get another crack at NBA title immortality, barring any significant offseason shakeups. A top priority should be locking down Myles Turner, the longest tenured Pacer, with a new deal. The center is set to enter free agency this summer, and word is the Phoenix Suns have shown interest. The rest of last night's starting lineup will return: Aaron Nesmith is under contract through 2027; Pascal Siakam and Andrew Nembhard through 2028; and Haliburton through 2029. Others hitting the free agent market this summer are Thomas Bryant, James Johnson and Isaiah Jackson. What's next: With the season wrapped up, the team now turns its attention to roster development and the NBA Draft, which starts Wednesday in Brooklyn, New York. The intrigue: Indiana is already making moves, trading the No. 23 overall pick to New Orleans to reacquire a first-round 2026 pick and clear out about $3.2 million in salary cap space.
