Sophie Cunningham never got to face Paige Bueckers in college, but on August 2, she finally got the opportunity to experience the dominance of the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 draft class—and what a game that was! Twenty-two points, four rebounds, and four assists—that’s what Bueckers put up despite an 88–78 loss to the Fever. So, you can understand why Cunningham once shared, “I love her… She legit has a bag… she’s fun to play against. I like her.” But tonight, the two got the chance to collide again, and neither Bueckers nor Cunningham held back—yet the real drama unfolded on the sidelines!

At 7:23 in the first quarter, Bueckers found herself in familiar territory—torching Sophie Cunningham. As the rookie rose for a three-pointer, Cunningham came from behind and made contact, sending Paige to the floor. After review, the flagrant 1 foul stood, awarding Bueckers three free throws. In sinking all three, the young guard took Dallas to a 7-4 lead.

And while Cunningham’s expression said it all, she wasn’t the only one feeling the sting of PB’s shots. Even on the sideline, CC couldn’t hide her emotions. Watching Bueckers pour in shots and control the pace, Clark appeared visibly upset, face blank, looking anywhere but the shots falling, knowing the game was quickly tilting in Paige’s favor once again.

Well, it was the first disappointment of the many to come that night. The Fever couldn’t take advantage of a friendly schedule, falling 81–80 to the 12th-place Dallas Wings. All thanks to the 16 points scored by Paige Bueckers and the team’s 19–0 run in the third quarter, the Wings built another double-digit cushion while limiting Sophie Cunningham to just 14 points in 34 minutes of play.

And yes, that’s how the Wings, handed Caitlin Clark–less Indiana Fever their second defeat in less than a week—despite the Fever’s 5th-place ranking in the W standings and a .545 winning percentage. So Clark’s expressions made sense, and she’s quite familiar with Bueckers’ dominance herself.

“I watch as much as I can, just because I love basketball and I love people that compete and make their team better. And that’s what she has always been able to do,” Clark said back in July, about 2 weeks after witnessing Bueckers record 27 points in the Fever’s first game of the season against the Wings. “But I just admire the way she plays, I admire the confidence she has in herself. Every single night, she steps up to the challenge; she doesn’t shy away from anything. And as a competitor, that’s what you really love.”

But Clark didn’t just watch—she also faced Bueckers once for the first time ever in the WNBA. Clark recorded 14 points, 13 assists, and a career-high-tying five steals, while Bueckers went 9-of-15 from the field, finishing with 21 points, four rebounds, and four assists.

However, CC had a reason for her limited minutes as she was on a restriction in her third game back from lower-body injuries. She notched her second career game with at least 10 points, 10 assists, and five steals, becoming just the fifth player in WNBA history to record multiple such games.

And, thanks to her playmaking, the Fever tied their franchise record with 30 assists. But just two games later, the Fever fell to the league’s bottom team by a single point. So yes, Clark’s frustration was justified. Yet, the concerns run deeper than they appear.

With Caitlin Clark still out, Fever feels the heat in the playoff chase!

It’s the second week of August, and with just a couple of weeks left before the playoffs begin, the Fever hold a strong chance of making the postseason with their 5th-place standing. However, the road ahead isn’t as smooth as it seems—not only is every team ramping up its performance, but the Fever’s roster struggles are becoming increasingly glaring.

The team has already lost both point guards, Aari McDonald to a broken bone in her right foot and Sydney Colson to an ACL tear, for the remainder of the season, all while Clark has been out since July 15 after being diagnosed with a right groin injury. Now, the Fever are limited to just ten players, even after adding Odyssey Sims to a seven-day hardship contract.

But the results aren’t improving, as Sims played 13 minutes but managed only two assists. But worse? There’s still no clear update on Clark’s return as Head Coach Stephanie White revealed that while Clark has progressed to full-court running, she is “not into practice shape” yet.

“No return to practice—she’s been able to get a little bit more of her full-court running with all of her body weight… It’s really building up from doing minimal to building some endurance to do longer periods of time. She’s been able to do a little more on the court in terms of how she moves, but not into practice shape,” White shared.

So, the Fever are clearly struggling at a crucial time, and the players on the court simply aren’t enough to translate effort into wins. But can things turn around in time?