Caitlin Clark's Game-Winner Came at Right Time for Fever—In More Ways Than One
It may be dramatic to say the game-winning three Caitlin Clark hit to propel the Indiana Fever past the Washington Mystics saved the Fever's season—but it sure feels like it.
The Fever had been mired in the kind of noise that could swallow up any team, and another loss and blown lead, fresh off squandering a game they controlled before falling to the New York Liberty would have had the sharks circling and the squad under .500.
And following a week of thinkpieces picking apart Clark, the floodgates surely would have been kept open around the Fever star, especially given that she missed two clutch free throws late in the contest against Washington.
But her 31-foot shot hit nothing but net, putting things in perspective in the process.
CAITLIN CLARK FROM 30 IN THE CLUTCH OMGGGGG pic.twitter.com/7xVnmcoonC
— Shabazz 💫 (@ShowCaseShabazz) June 9, 2026
Fever coach Stephanie White cited the make as a way for Clark to "grow that confidence back."
While teammate Lexie Hull added, "To see it go in and put us in the lead, that was one of the biggest moments we've had this season, so very excited. And just for Caitlin, very happy to see it go through for her. And for us, I think that's definitely helping us continue the momentum moving forward."
That last part is significant, because not only did the shot put the Fever on the right side of .500 and ease some of the anxiety around the team, but it came at the right time schedule wise.
Fever Have a Chance to Go on a Run in Upcoming Stretch
Blowing leads is never a good thing, but the Fever consistently gaining double-digit advantages proves a bit more consistency could be the catalyst for a complete turnaround.
And one thing that helps in that regard is the upcoming schedule.
The Fever's next game is against a struggling Chicago Sky squad (4-7) in Indianapolis. That is followed by a trip to take on the lowly Connecticut Sun (2-11) and then a date at home against the expansion Toronto Tempo (6-5).
Indiana has yet to prove any win on paper should be in the bag, but this is certainly a chance to get on a winning streak.
Things Around Clark Should Quiet
It may be naive to expect anything normal when it comes to Clark coverage, but things should quiet down a bit after her clutch make.
And here's the thing, despite some struggles with her shot, reports of Clark's demise were greatly exaggerated.
Clark currently sits at 7th in the WNBA in points per game (18.7) and leads the league in assists (7.9). She is third on the Fever in rebounds and second in steals and blocks. Her 3-point percentage crept up to 33.3% which is just one point lower than her rookie season. All in all, Clark is just a couple strong games away from vaulting right back to the top of MVP conversations.
Regardless, both she and the Fever needed to see that shot go in—even if her first career WNBA game-winner shouldn't exactly have been unexpected.
"I mean, are we surprised? Caitlin Clark is Caitlin Clark, and she does that," teammate Aliyah Boston said after the win.
Perhaps Clark, and everyone else, needed a reminder of just that, and it couldn't have come at a better time for her or the Fever.
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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 popular YouTube channel. And now he brings his basketball expertise to Women's Fastbreak On SI and Indiana Fever On SI!
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