The cracks in the Indiana Fever squad are opening. The perceived depth is falling apart. Everything that the Fever fans feared prior to this season. Caitlin Clark has an injury and will miss two weeks. Their backup point guard, Sydney Colson, also limped out of the game against the Fever. 

Their third-choice point guard, Sophie Cunningham, who was tripped by Stephanie White in the preseason game against the Washington Mystics, also aggravated an ankle sprain from the preseason. Now, Stephanie White has more problems to solve, as this national analyst has pointed out that everyone expects the Indiana Fever to achieve this season. 

Rachel A. DeMita said in the latest episode on her Youtube Channel, “The biggest thing that bothers me about this team right now is we know the style of play that works best for Caitlin and we know the style of play that is the most entertaining for fans as well. And so you bring in all of these new players, you bring in a new coach and all of them are just so high on the idea that they’re going to play fast, they’re going to play with pace.”

De Mita herself had mentioned earlier that the Fever would be better off if they catered to Caitlin Clark’s needs in the court. Give her the best environment possible and she will deliver. Suddenly, they are without Caitlin Clark but the philosophy of Stephanie White and the Fever has to remain the same, as this squad is built around that idea.

In her own words during a December 1 appearance on the Coaching U podcast, White emphasized the potential of her new team: “One of the great things about Indiana is they love to play fast… I want to play with great pace.”  They have changed their tactics since Clark was sidelined, as they no longer had her vision and her ability to make shots from practically anywhere. 

De Mita also emphasized that she is yet to see them performing true to White’s promise, as she said, “If they use their speed, they’re going to be able to beat any team; they have yet to do that.”

They had no fastbreak points against the Washington Mystics and they had only 4 against the Sun. While the Sun had three times as many as Fever with 12. They have significantly slowed down the pace of the game. Part of it is you need everyone clear in their heads on what their role is to play that kind of basketball but with Clark out, not everyone knows where to be and what to do. 

Without Clark pushing the tempo and initiating fast breaks, the Fever have shifted toward a more structured half-court offense. This team is not built for that, as their defense is also a weakness. Despite having fewer turnovers against the Sun, they conceded more points than them, signaling that they can’t quickly come back on defense after a lapse. 

The Fever’s defensive struggles from 2024, where they allowed the second-most points per game at 87.7, have carried into this season. Teams like the Sun are exploiting their slow transition defense, putting up 8 fastbreak points on May 30, while holding Indiana to just 4. It’s a worrying trend for a team still trying to find its identity on both ends of the court.

This includes more deliberate ball movement and post play, particularly involving Aliyah Boston, who is now being leaned on more for scoring and playmaking in the paint. Now everything has to go through Boston for an attack to be successful. De Mita further emphasized that they should stick to their guns regarding how they want to rather than trying something nobody on the lineup is comfortable with. 

She said, “If you’re not going to play the Caitlin Clark system, which is a very fast brand of basketball, then I just don’t see them being anything more than a mediocre team this season, and they’ll probably have a first-round exit just like they did during the last playoffs.”

That image is a haunting one for Fever fans, especially considering the heightened expectations coming into this season. After a year of rebuilding and the promise of a brighter future, there was a renewed sense of optimism surrounding the team, driven in large part by key offseason acquisitions and the development of young talent. However, the current form has cast a shadow over that optimism, leaving supporters frustrated and anxious.

Still, many believe this rough patch is only temporary. Integrating new players, particularly high-impact rookies and free agents, often comes with growing pains. Chemistry takes time to build, and the coaching staff is still working to find the right rotations and systems that maximize the team’s potential. The talent is undeniably there. Now it is about cohesion, consistency, and patience.

Saniya Rivers shares Connecticut game plan against Clark-less Fever

We have discussed the absence of Caitlin Clark at length but you often see opponents dismissing the absence of a key player from the opponent in order to respect the rest of the team. But the effect of Caitlin Clark and her impact is such that acknowledging that is not even any disrespect; it is a fact that Fever team members have themselves accepted.

Sun rookie Saniya Rivers, who delivered an impressive performance with 12 points and 6 assists in 32 minutes, emerged as a key contributor in Connecticut’s first win of the season against the Indiana Fever. Her energy on both ends of the floor helped set the tone for the team. Her first win in the WNBA would have meant a lot to her, considering she lost her mother just weeks ago. It’s amazing she was able to continue playing like she has been in college. She ably supported Tina Charles and Mariah Mabrey, being the third-highest scorer on the day.

“Obviously, we knew they were fresh off a loss, so we wanted to continue that streak,” Rivers said. “We knew that Caitlin wasn’t playing, and it’s obviously a totally different team without Caitlin. So we really wanted to exploit that.”

She just said what every team is thinking. The iron is hot right now in Indiana, as they have lost three games on the trot and two without Clark, the time to strike them is now. We should not be too quick to judge, as their start last year was even worse, they went 8-1 in the first nine games. So they do have the ability to come back and this team is objectively better than 2024 so once they get to the playoffs, they have the caliber to win the tight matches once they are at their best.