The Indiana Fever is indeed on the rise. Caitlin Clark and Co. won their sixth game of the season and are now on a three-game winning streak. While this may be attributed to the strength of opposition as well, the role of better scheduling does take the front seat. Hence, with a lot of rest in between games, they are showing their true potential. Their head coach Christie Sides, who has been under the scrutinizing eyes of the fans, spoke on the relatively easier schedule.
In her post-game press conference, Christie Sides responded to the reduced pressure and lighter mood. Giving a one-word answer with a little laugh, she said, “Yeah!” The head coach further added, “I think the weight of that first couple weeks of that schedule just really had us. Just trying to figure it out. Just being able to get home, get some practices, get some wins under our belts, get some confidence. It just lightens everything up.”
In the first month of the season, Indiana stood as the only team to have played 11 games in 20 days. The WNBA had released such a hectic scheduling last in 2007. Caitlin Clark and the Fever started the season with a 2-9 record. Since then, they have played just 4 games in 16 days. Consequently, their record in this stretch has been 3-1.
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The Indiana Fever picked their third consecutive win by handing an 88-81 defeat to the visitors, the Washington Mystics. This win also marks the first time since August 2015 that the team has won 4 home games in a row. Moreover, with their last win over Angel Reese and the Chicago Sky, they had improved their ranking in the Eastern Conference. They now stand in the fourth spot, just below the Atlanta Dream. Adding cherry to the cake is the fact that they have now taken hold of the last playoff seed along with a gripping display.
Just a week back, the Fever fan army took over the internet to protest against Christie Sides when they won over Atlanta. However, since then, the team has only locked and loaded their skills on both ends of the floor.
Caitlin Clark and her trio give a performance to remember
Tonight, Cailtin Clark grabbed the second double-double of her WNBA career, and how so! She capped off her night with 18 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists, and 4 steals. One of the most eye-catching plays was the one where the first overall pick made 5 points in a mere 14 seconds in back-to-back possessions through a clever steal.
The basketball world is also seeing the chemistry between Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston grow with each game. The reigning Freshman of the Year contributed 22 points with 8 rebounds. Kelsey Mitchell (22 points) and NaLyssa Smith (11 points, 7 rebounds) also gave a great push to the team’s speed.
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Caitlin Clark also broke another record as she left Breanna Stewart behind for most games with 15 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists as a rookie. We are not even past the halfway mark this season and the Fever is showing up and showing out. While we do not know how long this impressive run will continue, we do know that the team is certainly growing.
Stay tuned for more such updates, and to follow what Shaq’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato, has to say about the infamous Shaq-Kobe feud, Caitlin Clark’s Olympic snub, and more, watch this video.
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