Fever Triumph Over Mercury Without Caitlin Clark

PHOENIX – The Indiana Fever added to the critics of Caitlin Clark by defeating the Phoenix Mercury 92-89, enhancing their record to 4-0 in her absence this season.

Kelsey Mitchell topped all scorers with 29 points, hitting a key layup with just 10 seconds remaining. Aliyah Boston made a comeback from injury, contributing 21 points. Rookie Raven Johnson stepped up for extra minutes but managed only six points while Clark was sidelined.

Sophie Cunningham had a standout moment in the WNBA season on June 22 when she made two crucial free throws in the final moments to secure a win over the Mercury.

Alyssa Thomas, who faced a one-game suspension for a Flagrant 2 foul against Clark during their June 24 matchup, scored 22 points but couldn’t avert the loss.

Even though Clark played 16 minutes in a previous game against the Los Angeles Sparks and expressed she was “feeling great,” she was ruled out for Thursday’s game due to a fever. Before the match against the Sparks, head coach Stephanie White noted that Clark and Boston would alternate in back-to-back games, with Clark playing one and Boston taking the next.

Interestingly, the Fever hold a 9-9 record for games with Clark but are now 4-0 without her. However, there’s some context to consider. The Las Vegas Aces are the only winning team they’ve faced without Clark.

This might sound notable since the Aces are the defending champions, yet it’s worth mentioning that four-time MVP A’ja Wilson was absent due to injury during that encounter.

Other victories came against the Portland Fire in May, the now 9-11 Los Angeles Sparks on June 27, and Thursday’s win over the struggling 8-15 Mercury.

There’s a sentiment among some critics online who assert that Clark is a defensive liability (although the statistics don’t fully support that claim), but the Fever’s defense without her has been less than stellar, particularly in the first half.

The Mercury managed to score 53 points across the first two quarters, shooting an impressive 55 percent from the field.

Nonetheless, a particular faction seems to relish in Clark’s setbacks. The Fever’s recent victories without her will likely add more fuel to that fire.