The Caitlin Clark fans can get a little overboard with their feelings for the rookie. However, this time around, they just might have a point. The NCAA Division I all-time leading scorer has on multiple occasions, as a pro, kept her side in the hunt against the opponents. She was on course to orchestrate something similar against Indiana’s home fixture against the LA Sparks.

Apparently, the first overall pick boosted her team out of a deficit and into a lead throughout the third quarter. The hosts were trailing by 5 points at the halfway mark. At this time, the 6-foot guard stepped in and was the primary catalyst behind the team’s 11-0 run in just over 3 minutes of playing time.

However, Christie Sides took the call to bench her after that. But, the decision turned out to be a poor one. After the rookie left the floor, Cameron Brink and Co. quickly regained their momentum and went for an 11-0 run of their own to end the quarter with the Fever trailing and fans infuriated.

Christie Sides faces the wrath of fans for benching Caitlin Clark

A fan fueled the old fire by suggesting that because of Sides’ decision, Indiana lost a winning game. The same conversation occurred in the previous matchup of the two as the Sparks hosted Indiana at Crypto.com Arena in downtown LA.

“11-0 run and Caitlin Clark on the bench. Christie Sides is so fired,” a fan expressed.

Moreover, Caitlin Clark was in red hot form. Out of the 32 Fever points in the opening half, she accumulated 14. As soon as she left the court, not only did Indiana lose their advantage but were also having a hard time putting more points on the scoreboard. Frustrated with this development, one fan wrote, “Caitlin Clark is on the bench and the Sparks just had a 9-0 run. WHAT DOES THAT TELL YOU!! Put her back in. UGH.” 

Another angry fan was adamant that Sides’ leadership is doing no good to the talent of Caitlin Clark. The repeated failures of the entire unit despite Clark’s remarkable numbers are getting on the nerves of many. Consequently, demanding the exit of Sides, the Indiana fan commented, “Sides has to go. The sooner the better!!” 

Meanwhile, some were even making use of hilarious GIFs to convey their message. One fan used LeBron James’ GIF to ask for Christie Sides’ layoff along with the prediction, “christie sides is gonna lose her job!” 

36.58% of the total points are credited to Caitlin Clark alone. Out of the rest, Kelsey Mitchell and Aliyah Boston had a contribution of 32 points together. Some observers thought that it wasn’t enough and was among the reasons why the Fever ended up on the losing side. This was in addition to the fact that Sides benched Clark at crucial points. One of the comments provided a reflection of that by commenting, “I thought she played great. Didn’t get much help. They were on a nice run, the coach sat her and a lead turned into a hole.” 

Surely, Caitlin Clark has not only been an offensive power for the Fever but also a great defensive help. In fact, she totaled 30 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals, and 3 blocks in the 88-82 home defeat. How will the next game turn out for her tactically? It will be worth a watch.

Stay tuned for more such updates, and to follow what Shaq’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato had to say about the marketing genius, watch this video.