How Fever Have Fared Without Caitlin Clark This Season

The Indiana Fever have played well in three games with Caitlin Clark sidelined due to injury.

Indiana Fever forward Myisha Hines-Allen (2), Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22), Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham (8) and Indiana Fever guard Raven Johnson (3) sit on the bench Saturday, June 27, 2026, during the first half of a game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Indiana Fever are 3-0 with Caitlin Clark out of the lineup this season and have won all three contests by comfortable margins.

This is not in any way to suggest the team is better without Clark, who missed her third contest due to a back injury, because context is critical in looking at these results—particularly when it comes to opponents.

Of course, Indiana still has two All-Star starters in Clark's absence with Kelsey Mitchell and Aliyah Boston. The team's core also had to get used to playing sans Clark last season given she took the floor in only 13 contests in 2025. And she's happened to miss time at fortuitous points in the schedule in 2026.

Take the most recent victory over the Las Vegas Aces as an example. The Aces were also without their best player in A'ja Wilson. Not to mention Indiana had more than a week off between games so they were rested and came into the contest with extra matchup-specific prep time.

This helped result in a 84-68 Fever victory. The 84 points were nearly 10 below the team's season average of 93.5, but the 68 they held the Aces to was a season-low for an Indiana opponent.

The Fever's other two wins with Clark sidelined came against a struggling Los Angeles Sparks squad, with its superstar Kelsey Plum out of action and Cameron Brink also out, and the expansion Portland Fire. Those games were 111-87 and 90-73, so the average margin of victory in the three wins is 19 points per game.

Fever Need to Reach Peak With Clark

Jun 24, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) dribbles the ball while Phoenix Mercury guard Lexi Held (10) defends in the second half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The lopsided scores in the small sample is going to skew overall numbers and ignores things like the team falling apart after Clark departed their most recent loss to the Phoenix Mercury, her game-winning shot against the Washington Mystics, and how she single-handedly spearheaded a turnaround in the first meeting versus the Mercury (a Fever win).

The team has a 4.3 Net Rating in Clark's 523 minutes per the WNBA's stats database (net rating is the difference in points per 100 possessions and points allowed per 100 possessions). They are +9.4 in 287 total minutes with her on the bench. The offense has been better with Clark (111.4 to 108.1) but the defense has gone the other way (107.1 to 98.7). The team's assist percentage is better with her on the court while rebounding percentage is slightly up and turnover percentage is slightly down with her off.

Most of the data is noise given the context but it does point to a common sense takeaway: The Fever's ceiling is much higher with Clark if they can consistently shore up the defense. Indiana currently tops the WNBA in offensive rating while sitting at 7th in defense.

Clark individually has been brilliant of late, as she picked up Eastern Conference Player of the Month honors in June.

Fortunately, the Fever will get the chance to really hit a stride with Clark back in the lineup soon. Hopefully the best version of the squad will take the floor in the next game against the Sparks—with Clark in uniform.