The Indiana Fever pulled off an upset against one of the top teams in the WNBA on Sunday night when it dismantled the Las Vegas Dream 109-75. Fever All-Star Aaliyah Boston was the best player on the court, finishing the game with 19 points and 11 rebounds despite being matched up with the reigning MVP and co-DPOY A’ja Wilson.
Guard Kelsey Mitchell also had a dominant showing, scoring 27 points in the win. However, per usual, the bulk of the discourse surrounding the game centered around point guard Caitlin Clark.
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Clark, who is recovering from a back injury that has caused her to miss multiple games this season, was on limited minutes and had a fairly pedestrian line by her standards of 12 points, seven rebounds and six assists. However, one moment, where she hit the deck after attempting to defend Aces veteran Chelsea Gray, has gone viral and even led to some intense criticism for Clark.
In the second quarter, Clark was attempting to defend Gray on a drive to the basket. After some physical bumping from Gray, the Aces guard pulled back for a fadeaway and drew a foul on Clark, who made contact on Gray’s arm. Interestingly, it was Clark who doubled over on the hardwood in the aftermath of the sequence.
“The WNBA might not be for you.”
However, while many are focused on Clark’s perceived flopping, others are worried that her durability is the real issue, as she has constantly been on the hardwood this season and missed all but 13 games with soft-tissue injuries last year.
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“If Caitlin does not get stronger and tougher, she will not last 5 years in the WNBA. This was a routine basketball play,” one fan posted on X.
“If you can’t take this contact, then the WNBA might not be for you,” the fan added.
“Her body that broken down?” one fan questioned after her minutes restriction was reported before the game.
“She not going to survive on team #USA those players overseas are going to beat the h*;; outta of her,” another fan added.
The Fever made it within an overtime period of making the WNBA Finals last year while Clark was sidelined by injury. If she can stay healthy for this season’s playoff run, there’s no telling how far Indiana can go. However, her durability is beginning to become a real issue.
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The post ‘She will not last five years in the WNBA’: Concern mounts for Caitlin Clark after repeated issues appeared first on The Comeback: Today’s Top Sports Stories & Reactions.
