Caitlin Clark Shines As The Indiana Fever Win Despite Questionable Coaching
The Indiana Fever secured a gritty 88-82 victory over the Phoenix Mercury on Sunday afternoon despite this odd decision from Christie Sides.
The Good and Bad For The Indiana Fever In Their Victory
The Indiana Fever prevailed in the highly anticipated matchup between Caitlin Clark and Diana Taurasi despite a questionable rotation decision from Christie Sides.
Caitlin Clark's performance was not just instrumental but truly remarkable in the game's outcome. She nearly became the first rookie in WNBA history to record a triple-double with 15 points, 12 assists, and nine rebounds. Her bounce pass to Aliyah Boston, resulting in a bucket, not only added to her impressive stat sheet but also made her the Fever's franchise leader in assists for a single season, a feat she achieved just 20 games into her career.
Due to the game's physicality, both teams took many trips to the free-throw line. There were also a few scrums and instant replay reviews for technical and flagrant fouls. The Fever showed impressive poise and grit against a much more experienced team on the road, which was a great sign for the young core moving forward. Aliyah Boston battled toe-to-toe with Brittney Griner, Caitlin Clark aggressively looked to score and create countless opportunities for her teammates, and others like NaLyssa Smith and Katie Lou Samuelson pitched in with clutch baskets in the second half.
This matchup was a nail-biter, but it shouldn't have been as challenging as it was. Kelsey Mitchell played a crucial role in the victory, scoring 16 points, including a crucial go-ahead jumper in the game's final minute. Apart from Clark's stellar performance, Mitchell's contribution was the most significant factor in this game, as she matched her scoring average for the season despite playing only 21 minutes compared to her average of 29 minutes per game.
The Fever could not hit water in the first quarter if they fell out of a boat. After a 14-2 Mercury run to start the game, Christie Sides subbed out Kelsey Mitchell with five minutes remaining in the first quarter. Indiana went into halftime down 49-38 and shooting an awful 1-12 from the three-point line. The script was flipped in the third quarter when the Fever went on a scorching 27-6 run to obtain a 10-point lead. What changed in the second half? Mitchell opened the third quarter shooting three-for-four from deep, giving the Fever offense a much-needed spark. It was a spark that Fever head coach Christie Sides decided to leave on the bench for 15 consecutive minutes of the first half.
After Mitchell initially exited in the first quarter, she never returned for the first half. There was no sign of injury as she sat with her chin resting in her hands on the bench, watching the Fever struggle to shoot from the perimeter and the youngsters fighting tooth and nail against a veteran team. Mitchell was also the first Indiana player out of the tunnel to warm up for the second half when she finally returned to action. She played the second-fewest minutes among Indiana's starting lineup as the team's leading scorer.
For Christie Sides to leave her leading scorer on the bench for 15 straight minutes in a gritty game with her team struggling to shoot the ball is nonsensical. Luckily, Mitchell was able to find her rhythm, and Caitlin Clark, along with Aliyah Boston, answered the call to keep the team in the game. Especially with how Mitchell ended up being their best scorer in the second half and sealed the win for the Fever despite only playing 21 minutes, one could make the case that Christie Sides was bailed out in the win.
The Fever are showing they are not a bad team regarding ability and talent. With the addition of Clark, they can and have put wins together. They may not be great, and it is fairer to say they can be average to above average as currently constructed. But as long as Christie Sides is this team's head coach, she maintains this perception of being a weak link and a hindrance to developing this young core. Especially if games like Sunday don't swing in her direction moving forward this season.
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