January 1, Fever Win AGAIN Without Their Star — Clark Haters Pile On

Wyatt’s Take

• The Fever notched another victory without Caitlin Clark, fueling critics who claim the team doesn’t need its biggest draw — conveniently ignoring they’re beating mostly losing squads.
• Clark sat despite saying her body felt great, while the coaching staff makes curious roster decisions that hand ammunition to those who’ve rooted against her from day one.
• The noise around Clark continues to expose a bitter divide in women’s basketball between those celebrating success and those resenting it.

The Indiana Fever defeated the Phoenix Mercury 92-89 on Thursday night, moving to 4-0 this season in games without Caitlin Clark. For those who’ve made a hobby of downplaying the rookie superstar, it was Christmas morning.

Kelsey Mitchell led the way with 29 points, including the go-ahead layup with 10 seconds left. Aliyah Boston returned from injury and added 21 points. Rookie Raven Johnson saw extended minutes in Clark’s absence but managed just 6 points.

Sophie Cunningham, who created one of the WNBA season’s most viral moments when these teams met on June 22, hit two clutch free throws in the final seconds to seal the win.

Alyssa Thomas, suspended for one game after a Flagrant 2 foul on Clark during their June 24 matchup, scored 22 points in the loss.

The Fever ruled Clark out for Thursday’s game despite the guard playing 16 minutes on Wednesday against the Los Angeles Sparks. After that game, Clark told reporters her “body feels great.”

“My body feels great.”

Coach Stephanie White announced before Wednesday’s game that Clark and Boston would split the back-to-back, with Clark active against Los Angeles and Boston active against Phoenix.

Indiana stands 9-9 in games Clark has played this season, but now sits at 4-0 without her. Context matters here. Only one team the Fever have beaten without Clark has a winning record — the Las Vegas Aces.

That win sounds impressive, given the Aces are defending WNBA champions. But four-time MVP A’ja Wilson missed that game with an injury.

The other victories came against the expansion Portland Fire on May 20, the currently 9-11 Los Angeles Sparks on June 27, and the now 8-15 Mercury on Thursday.

Clark’s critics love claiming she’s a defensive liability, even though the numbers don’t fully support that narrative. But the team didn’t exactly showcase shutdown defense without her. Especially in the first half.

The Mercury put up 53 points across the first two quarters, shooting 55% from the field.

Still, there’s a vocal group out there that roots for Clark to fail. A fourth straight win in her absence gives them fresh talking points, no matter how thin the evidence.

Why It Matters

Working families across America know what it looks like when someone’s success breeds resentment instead of celebration. Clark brought massive attention and revenue to women’s basketball, yet certain voices can’t wait to tear her down. That says more about them than it does about her game. Real Americans recognize talent and hard work when they see it — and they see through the noise.