Fever flattened at home despite Caitlin Clark’s return: 'Nobody played well today'
Caitlin Clark and Damiris Dantas returned to the court and Fever led early, but another second-quarter collapse and lack of execution led to a blowout loss in front of a packed house on camp day.
That’s not how this one was supposed to go.
Wednesday’s Indiana Fever home game was supposed to be a feel-good moment.
It was supposed to be a grand welcome back for Caitlin Clark and Damiris Dantas, and for the thousands of kids in the crowd for camp day, it was supposed to be a positive first exposure to the it team in women’s sports.
Clark, playing in her first game since June 24th after sitting out with a left groin injury, played 25 minutes and finished with 10 points, five rebounds, and six assists. Rookie Makayla Timpson produced 10 points, six rebounds, and three steals for the best showing of her young career.
But the Fever? It was the same old story.
Lack of attention to detail. Not following the scouting report. Forcing shots inside and making bad passes when swarmed by multiple defenders.
In a game they trailed by as many as 23 points, the Fever got to within five, 55-50, after a layup by Timpson in transition — stemming from a defensive stop and Clark getting out and running.
However, the Golden State Valkyries kept pouring it on.
The expansion team went on a 23-5 run and the Fever failed to slow them down. They suffered a deflating 80-61 loss, their second in a row, in front of 16,798 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
“It felt good to be out there,” Clark said afterward. “I thought we started really well. I thought we were competitive. I thought we played with energy in the first five minutes, and then when they went on their first run, it deflated us a little bit — which I'm not really sure why.
“The offense, I think for us, it starts on defense. And we struggled scouting report wise, we struggled personnel, we struggled to do what the coaches asked of us.
“And then overall, they just played with more energy and effort. Those are the things that just can't happen. So it's every single person on our team; nobody played well today. And you should look yourself in the mirror and find ways where you can get better and come back to practice tomorrow and play again on Friday.”
The trouble is that it’s become a reoccurring theme to the Fever season. They know exactly what they need to do — now go do it.