WNBA champion reveals the keys to slowing down Caitlin Clark originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
As one of the WNBA’s leading scorers this season, Kelsey Plum knows the art of scoring inside and out.
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Plum, a four-time All-Star and a two-time WNBA champion, is averaging 25.0 points per game this season, second in the WNBA behind only former teammate A’ja Wilson. Clark, at 20.8 points per game, isn’t too far behind.
Speaking on Amazon Prime Video on Thursday, Plum identified two keys to success against Clark before the Indiana Fever took on the Atlanta Dream.
The first? Don’t let her break free in transition, especially after Clark herself has said she’s the most dangerous transition threat in the WNBA.
“Staying between (Clark) and the basket is key,” Plum said. “She thrives in transition, so your pick-up point is huge.”
MORE: Caitlin Clark’s defense remains a topic of conversation after Fever’s win streak ends
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Plum said that Clark will hit tough shots, something she has proven time and again in three WNBA seasons, but disciplined defenses will live with that and instead focus on taking away her passing options.
“The other thing is being aggressive, but disciplined,” Plum explained. “There’s a lot of times where people can over-help, get out of position, and she’s obviously the best passer in the league.”
The Dream certainly lived with that.
Though Clark scored 26 points and dished out seven assists on Thursday, Atlanta challenged her defensively and got its reward with a 108-101 road win.
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Even though she’ll miss some shots, Clark’s usage means she won’t dip below 15-20 points all that often. Taking away passing options and isolating her from the rest of the Fever is a blueprint teams will continue to utilize.
