Caitlin Clark’s shooting slump continued Friday, but the Indiana Fever’s losing streak did not. Though Clark was limited to 12 points on 5 of 17 from the field, and 1 of 7 from 3-point range, the Fever raced past the Atlanta Dream in the second half to secure a 99-82 win and get back to .500 on the season at 10-10.
For the season, Clark is now shooting 37.6% from the field overall and 28.9% from behind the arc. Both of those marks represent a major drop-off from last season. Among the 35 players taking at least 10 shots per game, Clark’s field goal percentage ranks 31st, and among the 14 players taking at least five 3-pointers per game, Clark’s 3-point percentage ranks 14th.
And yet, Fever coach Stephanie White is not concerned.
“I know it doesn’t mean anything that I’m not worried about Caitlin’s shot, but I’m not worried about Caitlin’s shot,” White said after Friday’s win. “She’s recovering from injury, she plays heavy, hard minutes. Every defensive assignment, every defensive scout, she’s the top of the scouting report. Her shot quality that she’s getting has not been great.
Clark, of course, missed three weeks early in the season with a left quad strain and recently missed another two weeks with a left groin strain. Friday’s matchup with the Dream was just her second game back from the latter issue, and it’s clear she doesn’t have her usual burst yet. Zooming out, Clark hasn’t played more than five consecutive games this season, which has made it difficult for her to find a rhythm.
Clark’s worst 3-point shooting games this season
|
May 22 vs. Dream |
0 |
5 |
0% |
|
May 24 vs. Liberty |
2 |
11 |
18.2% |
|
June 19 vs. Valkyries |
0 |
7 |
0% |
|
June 22 vs. Aces |
1 |
10 |
10% |
|
June 24 vs. Storm |
0 |
6 |
0% |
|
July 11 vs. Dream |
1 |
7 |
14.3% |
Ever since her days at Iowa, Clark has made a living on difficult shots because of how she’s defended. Those looks become exponentially harder when she’s forced to the sidelines for weeks at a time and is operating at less than 100% when she comes back.
Just take a look at her first shot against the Dream. This is a pull-up 28-footer with Rhyne Howard right on her back and Brionna Jones contesting. Clark is capable of making that shot, but everything is just a bit off for her right now.
Here she is in the third quarter coming off a screen and driving to her right. Both defenders stick with her and she tries a runner off the glass over Brittney Griner. When Clark is dialed in, she sinks this off the glass. Instead, it bounds off the rim.
“We’re just so used to seeing her make tough shots and to be able to do that while she’s recovering from injury is gonna be difficult,” White said. “It’s part of the reason we want to try to make her life easier and get her some easier looks. But it’s gonna continue to be hard because every defensive game plan is to not allow those.”
The Fever have tried to move Clark off the ball at times this season to create some catch-and-shoot opportunities, but they’ve been few and far between. Often, such a strategy just allows opponents to be even more physical with Clark than usual. Against the Dream, Clark took it upon herself to create better shots.
Late in the third quarter, Clark muscled her way into the paint, took a bump from Maya Caldwell and finished for an and-one. Notably, that was her first trip to the free throw line since June 22 — a stretch which encompassed 73 minutes of game action.
Early in the fourth, Clark took the same approach. After using a screen from Aliyah Boston at midcourt, Clark got Jordin Canada on her hip and bullied her way into the lane for another and-one.
“For her to stay patient, I thought she did a really good job of attacking the rim, not just settling for tough long jumpers,” White said. “She always does a really good job of finding her teammates and then we just have to help navigate her own frustration because she’s a perfectionist as most elite players are. She needs to be able to give herself grace in those moments, but every shot she shoots looks like it’s going in to me.”
The Fever have three more games prior to the All-Star break. Clark’s 3-point shooting will be a primary focus over those contests, and for good reason. She has to be better from behind the arc.
It will also be interesting, though, to see how often Clark is able to get into the paint to create higher percentage looks and get to the free throw line. Her path back to being an elite shooter may start with finding her rhythm closer to the basket.