The Indiana Fever suffered their tenth loss on Monday night at the Mohegan Sun Arena against the Connecticut Sun, who took a lead of 28 points at one point in the game, making it hard for the former to chase. In the middle of the game, the Fever coach, Christie Sides, made a bold decision to bench the team’s budding star Caitlin Clark, and some of her teammates, citing their lack of effort as the reason to which the point guard reacted.
Talking to a reporter in a post-game interview, Clark said, “This is a [Sun] team you can’t come out and be lackadaisical against. They’re just that good, they’re gonna punch you in the mouth and I don’t think we had it from the jump… Effort is not something they can coach.”
This came up after the HC stated her reason for benching the players in the post-game presser, “You can’t at this level coach effort. I felt like we were just asking them to keep playing hard… you can’t play in this league if you have to coach effort.”
The Sun established their dominance from the opening quarter, giving the Fever little to no chance to catch up. Though the latter outscored the Sun in the final quarter, it wasn’t enough to cut the 17-point deficit that was created, and the game ended with an 89-72 win for the home team.
Caitlin Clark Chants Break Out During Fever vs Sun
There’s no doubt that Caitlin Clark brought with her a massive fan base into the WNBA, but it’s a rare sight to watch the home-court fans demanding to see an opponent player for a longer time on the hardwood.
After she was sidelined from the game in the third quarter, the chant “We want Caitlin!” erupted among the unhappy fans who longed to be entertained by Clark and her exceptional basketball skills.
The decision to bench Clark was made following her foul trouble in the second half. To the crowd’s disappointment, she didn’t return to the court after that.
The Indiana Fever will be facing one of the stronger opponents, the Atlanta Dream, who have a current record of 5-4, on Thursday for their 14th game. To move up the Eastern table, Caitlin Clark and her team need to put in a lot of effort to beat the 3rd-seeded team as they’re in dire need of making a statement.
Caitlin Clark’s benching during the Indiana Fever’s loss to the Connecticut Sun has sparked a debate about effort and performance in the WNBA. The young star’s comments about the importance of effort and intensity on the court highlight the challenges faced by players at this level.
It’s clear that Clark’s talent has already garnered her a strong fan base, as seen by the chants from the crowd demanding her return to the game. This level of support and expectation places added pressure on her to deliver consistently, even in tough situations like Monday night’s game.
Looking ahead to the Fever’s upcoming game against the Atlanta Dream, Clark and her teammates will need to regroup and refocus to come out strong against a formidable opponent. The need for a statement win is clear, and it will require a collective effort from the entire team to make it happen.
As Clark continues to grow and develop in the WNBA, these experiences will only serve to bolster her resilience and determination to succeed at the highest level of women’s basketball. Fans can expect to see more exciting performances from her in the future as she navigates the challenges and opportunities that come her way.
Stay tuned for more updates and analysis on the latest in WNBA action, and be sure to support Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever as they strive for success in the league.
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Source: The Wall Street Journal
