Indiana Fever: All-Star Break Progress Report
Over half of the WNBA season has come and gone in the blink of an eye. How have Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever fared in those 26 games?
A record of 11-15 at the All-Star break doesn't look too impressive, but it doesn't even begin to tell the whole story of the 2024 Indiana Fever. The team had lofty, perhaps unfair, expectations placed upon them from the moment their selection with the first overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft was announced.
Caitlin Clark Is Becoming The Superstar We Were Promised
Indiana failed to sniff said expectations early on, stumbling out of the gate to a 0-5 start. The growing pains were apparent for this young core, but as the duo of Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston would find their footing, so would the rest of the Fever.
Since starting the season 0-5, Indiana has gone 11-10 and currently stakes claim to the seventh seed in the WNBA Playoffs. Caitlin Clark has been developing into the superstar most hoped she would be right before the eyes of record-setting WNBA audiences, averaging 17 points, six rebounds, and eight assists per game.
Clark has also been contributing on the defensive side of the ball, tallying over two steals and blocks per game. Aliyah Boston has been putting together an excellent sophomore season in the league as well, following her Rookie of the Year campaign with averages of 14 points, nine rebounds, and three assists per game. She has been the perfect pick-n-roll partner for Clark. The duo seems unstoppable when they're on, and they were both named WNBA All-Stars.
Kelsey Mitchell adds to this solid offensive punch that Indiana has formed their team identity around. A lethal shooter when she gets hot, Mitchell has contributed 17 points per game for the Fever this season and has earned her second All-Star nod for her efforts. With the riches of offensive talent that make up the core of this team, how is it that the Fever are scratching and clawing just to stay in the playoff picture? One only needs to look at the Fever's defensive numbers to find their answer.
There's a stat that makes the rounds every so often this season. The Fever are 11-1 when their opponent is held to 86 points or fewer. Conversely, they are 0-14 on the season when opponents score 86 or more. Indiana's opponents average 87.3 points per game. Second-chance points seem to be a problem for this young squad, allowing the most second-chance points in the league at nearly 13 per game. Despite how bad their defensive numbers look, there's reason for optimism.
Looking Ahead To The Rest Of The 2024 Season
It's hard to believe that the Fever's poor start didn't have at least partially something to do with how brutal the team's schedule was to begin the season, playing 11 games in just 19 days. These players hardly had a moment to breathe, much less practice and learn how to play together.
Indiana was noticeably better once the schedule calmed down. Chemistry was building between their stars; they started winning, and even their losses were more competitive. It's crucial to bear in mind how young the core is. These players are still learning and have a lot of room to grow.
With a month until the WNBA restarts due to the Olympics break, the hope is this team can come back together well-rested, hungry to address their weaknesses, play fun, exciting basketball, and perhaps bring the Fever their first playoff berth since 2016.