Sun @ Fever preview: Is facing an angry Caitlin Clark good?

If you’re feeling a little uneasy about the Sun’s upcoming slate after Sunday’s home to Chicago, I would suggest staying away from Caitlin Clark’s second-quarter highlights in her return Saturday against the previously undefeated Liberty.

Of course, it has almost a million views on YouTube, so you’ve probably seen it already anyway, guess you might as well watch it again anyway, it’s pretty good. Clark finished with 32 points, of course, but also nine assists and eight rebounds, which might be more impressive.

Caitlin Clark against the Liberty on June 14 (Grace Smith / USA Today Network)

Clark does not really get enough attention for her passing, she leads the WNBA in assists at 9.2, just ahead of Alyssa Thomas at 9.0, and no one else is even close (Paige Bueckers is third at 6.1).


Normally the Sun might be able to play the lack of motivation card in a game like this, but remember one of Connecticut’s two wins was over Indiana less than three weeks ago, a game Clark had to watch and seemed like she had to be restrained from running to the scorer's table to check in as the Sun held on for their first win of the season.


Clark is human, of course, and had not been shooting the ball prior to her injury (which maybe had a little to do with it). Although she is second in the league in scoring (21.6 ppg), she is shooting just 43.9% from the field and 36.7% from behind the arc, which is still better than anyone on the Sun, but hey, she’s not perfect.


Indiana also has Kelsey Mitchell, Aliyah Boston, and a returning Sophie Cunningham to try to exact revenge on the Sun, not to mention another sellout crowd to back them up.


But they were big underdogs last time and found a way, and as Kenny Mayne used to say on ESPN, games aren’t played on paper, they’re played inside TV sets. What else can we expect Tuesday night?:


 

SUN @ INDIANA FEVER


Time: Tuesday, 7 p.m. EDT


Place: Gainbridge Fieldhouse; Indianapolis, Ind.


Records: Connecticut 2-8; Indiana 5-5


TV: NBATV, WNBA League Pass, NBC Sports Boston


Line: Indiana -18.5 (jumped from opening at 15.5)


Absences: Connecticut- Saniya Rivers (questionable, illness), Raya Marshall (questionable, ankle); Leila Lacan (out, still in Europe, might not be back until July).

Indiana - DeWanna Bonner (out, personal).

 

History between them: Obviously we have the first game of this season which was previously mentioned, but Connecticut also did very well against Caitlin Clark and Indiana last season, sweeping them 2-0 in the first round of the playoffs (and prompting a WNBA rule change because the Fever never got a home game). The Sun also won the 2024 regular season series 3-1, including a lopsided win in Clark’s first regular season game. Indiana did beat Connecticut in the 2012 Eastern Conference final on the way to their only WNBA title, led by Finals MVP Tamika Catchings, even though Tina Charles was the 2012 league MVP.





What to look for: Marina Mabrey spoke after Sunday’s loss about the Sun pushing tempo to help their offense to which she’s probably correct, but trying to run with Clark seems somewhat foolish on its face and didn’t work at all against the Liberty last week. Of course, if you’re not making shots, it doesn’t really matter what you try and Connecticut did make shots in its upset three weeks ago, 10-for-20 from behind the arc, its best performance of the season. Three of those came from Saniya Rivers, whom they could definitely use in this one.


Clark and Mitchell are obviously huge threats from behind the arc, but after that, no one has attempted long-range shots with volume, although Lexi Hull is currently 15-for-27 (55.6%) from three-point range this season. Indiana is shooting just 60.2% on layups, third worst in the WNBA (the Sun are at 64.8%), and outside Boston it would be much worse, so maybe try to get the Fever to get to the rim more? Or have Mitchell and Clark go cold? Stranger things have happened, I guess.


The Sun’s turnover rate has jumped to 17.2% (better than only Chicago), and regardless of what else they do, if they give Clark and company easy baskets in transition, they have no chance. Lindsay Allen didn’t get many minutes Sunday, but Connecticut might need her to keep some composure on offense if she’s up to it. Of course, the Sun are just 29.7% from behind the arc (ahead of only Golden State), and Allen has yet to hit one this season, so we shall see.


Key players:  Connecticut: Saniya Rivers- Rivers did warm up Sunday, so I think she’ll be good to go in this one, but we’ll see how long she can try to defend Clark, the best in the world have tried and failed, but it will definitely be a learning opportunity either way. It was Rivers’ offense that was key in last month’s upset, she was 3-for-5 from behind the arc including a huge one down the stretch, but Rivers is just 2-for-19 in the other games this season.


Indiana: Sophie Cunningham - Cunningham was injured in the fourth quarter in the first meeting, but before that had perhaps her worst offensive outing of the season, going just 1-for-5 from the field. But she was a ridiculous +31 in 24 minutes against the Liberty Saturday and seems to make momentum building plays, which is why Indiana wanted her so bad.


Advanced stat:  7-3 - Indiana’s expected record based on their overall numbers, they are still fourth in offensive efficiency and third in defense, even with Clark’s absence for five games. They certainly think they can get up to third in the standings behind New York and Minnesota.


Tactical spotlight: We know Stephanie White loves her Horns sets, but with Clark, it gives her an opportunity just to shoot off the first screen as the Liberty found out on Saturday afternoon. The problem is if you go over the screen with someone like Rivers - and you have to - Clark is now into the lane as one of the best passers in the league. But if you’re picking your poison, that’s probably the preferred option for the Sun, to make Clark get 20 assists. Of course, you could be setting yourself up for giving up another triple-double (with Alyssa Thomas coming to town Wednesday).


Inside the numbers: 0 - Number of offensive rebounds Caitlin Clark has this season. For what it’s worth.


Prediction: 98-78 Indiana

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