Caitlin Clark Calls Out Her Teammates’ Defense After Fifth Straight Loss

Five games into her WNBA career, Caitlin Clark remains winless.

 

The former Iowa Hawkeyes star has now matched the number of losses she sustained during her entire senior season in college during this five-game winless streak with Indiana.

While Clark shows flashes of brilliance on offense, the lack of chemistry and cohesion that the young, inexperienced Fever players show make them unable to execute in the game’s most crucial moments.

Hence why they can’t seem to sneak out a win during close games, like the one against the Seattle Storm on Wednesday.

Although Clark also seems to believe that her team’s defense is a reason why they keep coming up short.

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) reacts after being called for a foul during the second half of an WNBA basketball game against the Connecticut Sun, Monday, May 20, 2024, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

Clark spoke with media after the Fever’s loss on Wednesday, and criticized one aspect of her team’s defensive performance.

“I thought our traps, our rotations, when we started to trap [Jewell Loyd] weren’t very clean. And like, a lot of the times, she was still able to split us in the trap and get downhill.

Seattle Storm’s Jewell Loyd Sends Stern 7-Word Message to Caitlin Clark

 

“That can’t happen in a trap, because you’re basically playing 3 on 5 at that point,” Clark added.

There’s a lot for the Indiana Fever to improve upon right now.

HOT NEWS: 

KAMILLA CARDOSO WAS SHAKEN UP AND ANGEL REESE WAS RIGHT THERE TO MAKE SURE HER TEAMMATE WAS OKAY!!

Kamilla Cardoso was shaken up and Angel Reese was right there to make sure her teammate was okay!!

. . . Play video:

Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso show chemistry but suffer defeat in Chicago Sky debut

Preseason game reveals the promising future with rookies, despite a tough loss

In an electric preseason opener that had Chicago Skyfans on the edge of their seats, new recruits Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso showed flashes of promising chemistry, although their debut was marred by a narrow defeat against the Minnesota Lynx, 92-87, at the Target Center last Friday night.

Angel Reese, a standout performer at LSU and a national champion in 2023, quickly found her rhythm despite the team’s overall rocky start. Starting alongside Elizabeth Williams, Diamond DeShields, Marina Mabrey, and Dana Evans, Reese was a dynamic force on the court. In her 24 minutes of play, she managed to score 13 points, grabbed nine rebounds, and notched two steals and a block, demonstrating her versatility and why the Sky were eager to draft her. Angel Reese shows support for Kamilla Cardoso in WNBA debut, ends feud Kamilla Cardoso, the towering talent from South Carolina, also made her presence felt early on, though her night ended prematurely. The excitement around her debut was cut short when she suffered a fall, injuring her right shoulder in the process. Before her exit, Cardoso had contributed six points on 3-of-5 shooting, along with four rebounds and two blocks in just 13 minutes, leaving fans wondering what could have been if she had stayed on the floor longer. The highlight of the evening was a beautifully orchestrated play in the second quarter, where Reese connected with Cardoso in the paint. The seamless pass from Reese and the smooth finish by Cardoso was a clear indicator of the potential this duo has to offer, hinting at a dynamic partnership that could flourish with more court time.

Sky falls to a seasoned Lynx team, set stage for exciting season ahead

Despite their efforts, the Sky could not overcome the Lynx, who were propelled to victory by Courtney Williams‘ impressive 17-point performance. The Lynx’s experience and cohesion ultimately gave them the upper hand in this closely contested matchup. Selected in the first round of the 2024 WNBA draft, with Cardoso going as the third pick and Reese as the seventh, both players are seen as central to the Sky’s rebuilding efforts. The anticipation around their development is high, and this game, despite the loss, has only added to the excitement of what the future holds. As the Sky prepare to conclude their preseason against the New York Liberty this Tuesday, fans and analysts alike will be keen to see how the team adjusts and how Reese and Cardoso recover and respond to their initial challenges. With the regular season set to start on May 15, the Sky’s new era, underpinned by its promising rookies, is just beginning to take flight.

HOT NEWS: 

EVERYONE KNOWS WHO SHOULD REPLACE CHRISTIE SIDES AS INDIANA FEVER COACH

Earlier this afternoon the basketball world learned recently retired Iowa coach Lisa Bluder landed a new job – with the Hawkeyes program. New women’s basketball coach Jan Jensen confirmed Bluder will serve in an advisory role for the team.  “I think it’s great that Lisa agreed to be in an advisor role,” she said. “She’s gonna be around, she built it, she loves it, and she’s going to be a great resource for me. I’m going to need a little bit of grace for my team and as we learn and grow and certainly I’m going to make my share of mistakes.”  While fans are glad she’s not completely leaving the team, they seem to have another job in mind for her. On Thursday night Bluder was spotted at Caitlin Clark’s home debut for the Indiana Fever and fans don’t want her to leave. They’d like to see Bluder take over for Fever head coach Christie Sides following the team’s historically bad start. “Caitlin Clark has 5 shot attempts and there’s 4 minutes left in the third, omg I’ve never seen a player get sabotaged by coaching like this,” added another.  “What if Lisa Bluder retired at Iowa because she wanted to take a year off, before taking over as the Indiana Fever Head Coach when they fire Christie Sides,” offered a third. “I think Lisa Bluder could coach the Fever better over zoom than Christie Sides is doing. The team is a mess, no offensive rhythm amongst a lot of other substitution problems. Also why is Boston always so far from the basket?” joked another. Fans are clearly fed up with the product they’ve watched the first two games of the season. Will the team make a coaching change if they can’t turn things around?