(Photo credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images)
The Indiana Fever and star Caitlin Clark have had plenty of time to ruminate over recent disappointing outings. The road ahead doesn't get easier, though, as the Fever host the Eastern Conference-leading Atlanta Dream on Thursday in Indianapolis.
Indiana (4-4) hasn't played since Saturday, when it suffered a 100-84 road loss to the Portland Fire. Clark was held to just six points, tied for her lowest scoring output since a three-point game on June 2, 2024.
Clark, the league's fifth-leading scorer with 20.1 points per game and the league leader in assists (8.1), was placed in a different light thanks to a video showing a verbal altercation with head coach Stephanie White during the Fever's second straight loss. During the extended break leading up to Thursday's game, Clark was quick to downplay the argument.
'It's just two people being competitive,' Clark said. 'Two people that really want to win. Those things happen all the time. I know there's a camera on me and that's how it's going to be. But there's a lot of people in the media or on TV that think they know a lot of things and they're just blatantly wrong. ... Steph has my back more than anybody.'
On the court, Indiana's defense has continued to be an issue. Before Wednesday's games, the Fever were tied with the Toronto Tempo for the most points allowed in the Eastern Conference (89.0 ppg).
'I think it's just toughness and a will to play defense,' Clark said of the necessary changes. 'We've tried to simplify because we've really slacked in a lot of ways that the coaches have wanted us to guard and that's on us as players.'
Kelsey Mitchell's 20.6 ppg pace Indiana while Aliyah Boston averages 15.9 points and a team-high 7.4 rebounds.
Atlanta (6-2), meanwhile, arrives in Indianapolis as winners in four of its last five. Fresh off the first 30-win season in franchise history, the Dream have carried their momentum into 2026. Spearheaded by Allisha Gray (21.1 ppg) -- the league's third-leading scorer -- and Rhyne Howard (19.3 ppg), there's no uncertainty at the top for head coach Karl Smesko's team.
'They're both amazing players,' Smesko said. 'Allisha was All-WNBA last year and I think she's improved this year. Defensively, she's taken it to another level. Rhyne is locked in. She has a different level to her. Rhyne has just been really special so far and I expect it to continue because that's been her approach all season.'
Offseason addition Angel Reese averages 13 points and a WNBA-leading 11.3 rebounds per game. Reese eclipsed the 1,000-career point mark in the Dream's 91-75 home win over the Connecticut Sun on Tuesday.
--Field Level Media
