Caitlin Clark’s Teammate Hints Discomfort Beyond Indiana Fever’s Defense Amid 29-Year WNBA History

95-60 is not an Indiana Fever reflection by any measure. So when the Phoenix Mercury crushed the Fever side, the morale was at its lowest, someone had to step up. “This is just another hump that we’re going to get over and we’re going to we’re going to be okay.” Yes, Sophie Cunningham tried to stay positive and expressed a belief that the girls would bounce back stronger, but that wasn’t the case with the Fever’s 2023 No. 1 Draft Pick, Aliyah Boston.

When it was time to answer the hard questions, Boston kept it simple. It was a defensive blunder. “I thought defensively we had some slippages early on, and that got them some easy buckets at the rim. Their second chance points that was pretty big for us, their rebounding.” Not just noting down the errors; accountability, too, was on the cards for Caitlin Clark’s teammate.

“When you look at the grand scheme of things, a lot of things that we can clean up.” Surely tightening on the cards, but loose defense isn’t the only thing bothering the tired Indiana. When the reporter asked, “Was fatigue kind of a factor, obviously, with it being your fourth road game, kind of eight days on the road today?” The answer came with a smirk. “Yeah, I mean possibly,” but even then, she wasn’t letting things slide by putting it on fatigue.

The Fever number 7 remarked: “We’re not going to just give all the credit to that (fatigue).” Understandable, because even Boston didn’t have a great night that day. She scored 4 points in her 26+ minutes on the court with 3 assists and 9 rebounds. Besides every excuse for the fall and every promise of a comeback, what stood constant for the Fever was their injury. Following Aliyah’s acknowledgment, Coach Stephanie White gave an update on the injuries and how they affect the team as Caitlin Clark remains sidelined.

“Sid’s left knee, Arie’s right foot, and we’ll get some more evaluation when we get home tomorrow and see where we are.” While the updates come, White highlighted that “It affects emotionally because nobody wants to see a teammate go down like that.” But there’s more than just emotions ruining the Fever’s chances.

Losing a player doesn’t just impact the individual. As White pointed out: “On the floor, that’s another point guard, a primary ball handler. Someone who is a big part of our rotation on both ends of the floor. And so you go down one guard, and it puts more pressure on Kelsey and Sophie and Lexi, and Ary to play a little bit heavier minutes, and so, it made it a little bit tougher.” The team’s troubles went far deeper than the final score. While the Fever loyalists had a tough night, the Phoenix left with more than just a game to their name.

Alyssa Thomas Makes WNBA History with Triple-Doubles as Phoenix Eyes Playoffs

When the Fever were short of justifications, Alyssa Thomas made WNBA history by recording three consecutive triple-doubles, a first in the league’s history. With 18 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists, she marked her 19th career triple-double, extending her lead as the all-time WNBA leader in that category.

To make things merrier, the final assist that secured Thomas’s third straight triple-double was credited to teammate and partner DeWanna Bonner. Not just her fiancé, Thomas, but also credited her team on this achievement. “I couldn’t do it without my teammates,” Thomas said. “I needed that last assist, and everyone wanted to make sure that I got it, so just super happy to be here, super grateful for my team, and it’s an honor.” Alyssa Thomas stands alone atop the WNBA’s triple-double leaderboard, far ahead of her closest competition.

Though Alyssa Thomas leads the league in triple-doubles by a wide margin, the most important measure is her standing in the MVP race. Her recent streak has improved her rank among the WNBA’s most valuable players. These standout performances have arrived at a crucial juncture, with the Phoenix Mercury pushing hard toward the playoffs.

Thomas’s sustained excellence is underscored by her finishing in the top five of MVP voting for each of the past three seasons, including a runner-up finish to Breanna Stewart in the landmark 2023 race, highlighting her status as one of the league’s elite talents. Can she maintain this level of dominance and claim the MVP crown this season in a Caitlin Clark-dominated league?