Caitlin Clark Holds Herself Accountable for 'Costly Errors' in Fever Loss vs Aces

Caitlin Clark didn't shy away from blame after the Indiana Fever's loss to the Las Vegas Aces.

Caitlin Clark looks up during a game against the Las Vegas Aces. | IMAGO / Icon Sportswire

Indiana Fever star guard Caitlin Clark made costly mistakes down the stretch in her team's overtime loss to the Las Vegas Aces on Thursday, including two uncharacteristic misses from the free-throw line with seven seconds left in regulation.

If Clark had made either of these two free throws, the Fever would have had a two-possession lead and essentially would have cemented their win against Las Vegas, which ultimately tied the game and sent it to overtime with a buzzer-beater three from Chelsea Gray.

When Clark was asked about the missed free throws at the end of regulation, she said, "Yeah, obviously, just can't happen. Those are free throws I usually make, and certainly frustrating. Obviously, one of them gives us a two-possession lead, and kind of cost my team there, for sure. So that's on me."

BALL DONT LIE LMFAOOOOOO pic.twitter.com/EVaKxVw2UF

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Clark is shooting 86.2% from the free-throw line this season and is a career 87.6% shooter from the stripe.

When speaking about what happened to the Fever in the game's second half, when they were outscored 38-33, she said that the team fell flat and made costly turnovers before adding, “We still battled, we still fought. And we put ourselves in [a] position to win the game. And honestly, it was me that made costly errors for us. So, that’s on me to help us win. That’s my job. That’s what I get paid to do."

Caitlin Clark Deserves Credit for Holding Herself Accountable

There's no question that Clark cost her team down the stretch, and No. 22 deserves credit for not shying away from that fact.

This isn't the first time she has blamed herself for the Fever falling short, as she took similar accountability after Indiana's previous game, which was an 86-85 loss to the Minnesota Lynx.

Ultimately, the missed free throws are physical mistakes that can and will happen to anybody. The turnovers (specifically the errant pass that A'ja Wilson stole from her during overtime) are what can be corrected more.

But Clark is still going to make turnovers, as that's the dichotomy of her playing style. The bottom line is that it's good for her and for the Fever that these "costly errors" occurred during the regular season instead of a pivotal time during the postseason.

It feels likely that Clark and the Fever will face the Aces (and potentially the Lynx) in the playoffs, which will allow No. 22 to set these mistakes right.