The Indiana Fever are discovering just how much they rely on rookie sensation Caitlin Clark. Since Clark went down with a left quad injury on Saturday, the Fever have suffered two straight losses, looking disjointed and directionless on the court.
Their most recent defeat, an 85-83 home loss to the previously winless Connecticut Sun, has only amplified the concerns surrounding the team’s ability to compete without their cornerstone.
Clark‘s absence has left a void that no one on the roster has managed to fill. Her playmaking, court vision, and gravitational pull on defenders are impossible to replicate, and the statistics tell the story. In the two games without her, the Fever’s offense has unraveled.
Barstool Sports founder and devoted Caitlin Clark supporter Dave Portnoy didn’t hold back his assessment of the situation following Friday’s loss to the Sun.
“Caitlin Clark may win the MVP by not playing. The Fever now 0-2 without her and absolutely suck. Lost as 12.5 favorites at home,” Portnoy wrote on X.
A struggling team and a scathing critique of WNBA coverage
But Portnoy‘s frustration didn’t stop at Indiana’s performance. He also took aim at the WNBA’s national broadcast coverage of the game, highlighting a moment that many fans found infuriating.
After Marina Mabrey sank a clutch mid-range jumper to give the Sun an 84-81 lead with 1:15 remaining, viewers were cut away to commercials. By the time coverage resumed, just 39.7 seconds remained.
“Also how about this TV coverage from the @wnba If Caitlin doesn’t get back fast it could be curtains for this league,” Portnoy added.
He went further, calling the league a “joke” for how it handled one of its marquee matchups.
While Portnoy is known for his inflammatory takes, his comments have sparked a larger conversation about both the Fever‘s dependence on Clark and the WNBA’s ability to maximize its growing audience. Without Clark on the court, the league’s most electrifying draw is absent-and the Fever’s on-court product has struggled without her presence.
The situation has even drawn parallels to one of the NBA’s most infamous collapses. When Steph Curry suffered a knee injury during the playoffs against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Golden State Warriors failed to win a single game in his absence and were quickly eliminated.
Just like the Warriors without their leader, the Fever appear lifeless without Clark running the show.
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