INDIANAPOLIS — Teams smell blood when Caitlin Clark is on the floor.
The Indiana Fever star has defended 42 isolations in the WNBA this season, the most in the league, according to Yahoo Sports. Minnesota Lynx rookie guard Olivia Miles ranks second with 19.
The Portland Fire attacked Clark in their 100-84 win over the Fever on Saturday. The former Iowa Hawkeye finished with six points on 1-of-7 shooting and five fouls.
Clark said she needs to be better at forcing defenders to the perimeter and “using (my) body a little bit better.” She aims to be more physical and “tough,” so opposing players can slide laterally rather than attack her downhill.
“I know I have to improve in that area, and I certainly will continue to work on it,” Clark said. “It’s one of those things where you look in the mirror, you watch the film and you find ways to get better. Comparing the first Golden State (Valkyries) game we had here (on May 22), and then the last game (on Thursday), the difference is I forced them into 12- to 15-foot contested jump shots, rather than 7-foot shots around the rim. Those are a lot easier for people to make. Those are the shots that we want to take.”
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Coach Stephanie White said Clark has done a “decent job” when she’s in isolation and acknowledged “that’s what good teams do — they try to find a matchup that they like and try to attack it.” White said Clark will continue to grow defensively, but admitted the Fever need to be more “disruptive” as a team.
”We have to be able sometimes to send multiple defenders to sometimes let (Caitlin) know that we have her back,” White said. “Our initial positioning, her initial positioning — where we are on the floor matters. And at times, it’s good, and at times, it’s not.”
Indiana averages a WNBA-high 91.8 points per game. However, it allows 89 points per game, the second-most in the league. Portland made 51% of its shots against Indiana and 39% of its 3s. The Fever have given up at least 100 points in three of their eight games this year. Indiana allowed 100 points or more four times last season.
“We’ve tried to simplify because we’ve really slacked in a lot of areas and a lot of the ways that coaches have wanted us to guard, and that’s on us players. We have to rise to the occasion and find ways to get stops and have a sense of pride in it and a sense of urgency in the things that we’re trying to do,” Clark said. “Collectively, we have to work as one on the court.
”We’re five individuals, but you need to have each other’s backs. Nobody’s out there on an island by themselves. That’s why you got four teammates playing with you, and that’s why you have a bench full of 10 other people.”
Clark believes the Fever will sharpen their defense and said, “More than anything, it’s just a will.” The third-year guard knows she sets the tone as the leader of the pack.
“I’m the point guard, so it’s on me to help this team and this franchise win, and I certainly know that,” Clark said. “I take that on my shoulders, and I critique myself more than anybody, and I have to be better. Right now, we’re playing like a .500 team. I have to look myself in the mirror and find ways that I can make this team better, how I can get better individually. More than anything, that’s going to make us better collectively as a group.”
Joshua Heron is an enterprise and Fever reporter. Follow him on Twitter at @HeronReports. Get IndyStar’s Indiana Fever and Caitlin Clark coverage sent directly to your inbox with our Caitlin Clark Fever newsletter. Subscribe to IndyStar TV: Fever for in-depth analysis, behind-the-scenes coverage and more.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Caitlin Clark takes a ‘look in the mirror,’ sees Indiana Fever star who must improve defensively
Reporting by Joshua Heron, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
