Caitlin Clark Turnover Stat Shows Counterintuitive Fever Trend

Caitlin Clark turning the ball over actually amounts to Indiana Fever wins.

Caitlin Clark gestures during an Indiana Fever game. | IMAGO / Icon Sportswire

Turnovers are an inevitable part of Indiana Fever star guard Caitlin Clark's game. But even in the games where Clark (who is averaging 4.7 turnovers per game this season) is turning the ball over more than usual, the Fever are still managing to win.

Indiana is 9-2 this season when Clark has six or more turnovers.

One would probably assume that this stat was the other way around, given that turnovers are typically indicative of poor overall performance, and a key factor coaches pinpoint when analyzing why their team has lost a game.

But that isn't necessarily the same for No. 22.

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) dribbles the ball | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Why Caitlin Clark's Turnover Tally Have Produced a Surprising Fever Record

Earlier in the season, Clark was asked whether her growing technical foul tally was going to impact how she played, given the potential for her to get suspended if she picked up eight in the regular season.

"No," Clark replied.

While she didn't elaborate, the reasoning seemed to be that she's at her best when she's playing freely, without worry about any mistakes she makes on the court.

This same mindset applies to turnovers. If she's worried about turning the ball over too often, she isn't going to make the extraordinary passes that nobody else in the league can make. And these passes contribute to the Fever winning more often than they do losing, even when they sometimes turn into turnovers.

That's not to say that Clark should be trying to produce turnovers, even if the Fever are winning games when she has more than her average. Turnovers are an objectively negative stat for a player and a team. But turnovers are an inevitable part of Clark's on-court genius, which ultimately serves the Fever. And that 9-2 stat is proof of that.

Clark turned the ball over seven times in the Fever's 101-95 win against the Toronto Tempo on August 18. She also added 24 points and seven assists.

She also had six turnovers when the Fever played the Tempo last week. But that came with 14 assists plus 28 points. Indiana won that game, 103-85.

These are just two examples of when Clark is at her best also include moments where she's giving away possessions.

Clark will continue to try to limit her turnovers as the Fever enter the postseason. But there will be games where she doesn't. And those games could very well end up being Fever wins.