All through the offseason, the Indiana Fever have hyped their roster upgrades. Now, they’re going to see in the event that they’re making a major distinction.
On Monday, the Fever introduced second-year guard Caitlin Clark has suffered a left quadriceps pressure and can miss a minimum of two weeks with the damage. Throughout this stretch, the Fever are scheduled to play 4 video games, together with two within the Commissioner’s Cup.
This marks the primary time Clark will miss regular-season video games within the WNBA. Via her first 4 video games this season, the 23-year-old had averaged 19 factors, six rebounds and 9.3 assists per recreation.
If Clark had suffered this damage final season, the Fever would’ve faltered with out her.
Earlier than taking the previous Iowa standout with the No. 1 choose within the 2024 WNBA Draft, Indiana hadn’t made the playoffs for the reason that 2016 season. Extra importantly, the roster lacked star energy outdoors of ahead Aliyah Boston and guard Kelsey Mitchell.
This offseason, nevertheless, the Fever retooled their squad, signing forwards DeWanna Bonner and Natasha Howard in free company. In addition they employed new head coach Stephanie White, who gained the 2023 WNBA Coach of the 12 months Award with the Connecticut Solar.
It is nonetheless too early to inform if these offseason additions have catapulted Indiana into the WNBA’s elite. The Fever are 2-2 and coming off Saturday’s 90-88 house loss to the New York Liberty, the defending champions.
Three-time champion Howard has averaged 13.3 PPG and seven.3 RPG by her first 4 video games this season. Bonner, in the meantime, has floundered. In her first 4 video games, the six-time All-Star has averaged 2.5 PPG and 5.3 RPG.
“You realize, [Bonner] most likely had the hardest transition of anyone,” White instructed CBS Sports activities’ Erica Ayala in a narrative printed Saturday. “She was actually a precedence in us getting her shot alternatives in Connecticut and the way we obtained them in a slower-paced system. Now, it is discovering the place we will slot in a circulate in a very quick system, with heavy ball-dominant guards.”
Optimizing Bonner might remedy one of many Fever’s greatest remaining issues and guarantee they’ve the firepower to win video games with or with out Clark.
