Caitlin Clark's 'Be Quiet' Comment Speaks Loudly After Fever Beat Dream
Caitlin Clark was sick during the Indiana Fever's 83-71 win over the Atlanta Dream. This was proven given Clark vomited at halftime before going back on the court to help her team secure the victory.
But Clark is also sick of something else—the narratives around her Fever squad. She had already made that clear recently in discussing the noise around her late-scratch due to back soreness before a game earlier this season, and amid the reaction her heated exchange with coach Stephanie White after Indiana was blown out by the Portland Fire last Saturday.
And she made it clear yet again once the Fever dispatched the Dream.
"I'm gonna say this in the nicest way possible, but hopefully it makes a lot of people just be quiet. I know there's always going to be conversation, and I totally respect that, and I always understand that, but the sky is not falling," Clark said after the contest.
Clark is clearly aware of the attention, and often hysteria, that follows her every move, which is why she offered praise to her teammates for their character in being able to stick together through it.
The Fever did hold a team meeting to make sure they were on the same page entering the showdown with Atlanta, and the results confirmed that is indeed the case—with Clark moving to 5-1 in head-to-head matchups with old college foe Angel Reese along the way.
Clark's Playmaking and Defense Stand Out
Clark got plenty of help from said teammates in the win against Atlanta. Fellow stars Kelsey Mitchell and Aliyah Boston each had strong performances, but for Clark specifically, her playmaking and defense stood out.
Clark drew multiple Dream defenders on many possessions, manipulating the opponent on her way to another 8 assists. She also answered the bell on the other end, given her defense had been much maligned going in.
She held up in her individual assignments and Indiana held Atlanta to just 71 points on 34% shooting in what was a complete team effort on the defensive side of the ball.
Clark added 17 points (including some momentum threes) and 7 rebounds as the Fever got back on track.
Clark and company had only lost two games in a row, but listening to the talk surrounding them, one would think they were mired in an extended slump. Such is the reality the WNBA's highest-profile team has to deal with.
But in sports, winning cures everything, and in the case of the Fever, bouncing back against the Dream should be enough to quiet the nonsense—at least temporarily.
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Robin Lundberg is a media veteran and hoops head who has spent the bulk of his career with iconic brands like Sports Illustrated and ESPN. His insights have also been featured on platforms such as Fox and CNN and he can currently be heard hosting shows for Sirius XM and on his burgeoning YouTube show. And now he brings his basketball expertise to Women's Fastbreak on SI!
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