3 glaring issues facing Indiana Fever exposed by Washington Mystics in Caitlin Clark's absence

Missing star guard Caitlin Clark, the Indiana Fever couldn’t hold off the Washington Mystics on Wednesday, falling 83–77. The loss dropped Indiana to 2–3, while Washington climbed to 3–3.

Clark was ruled out for two weeks due to a left quadriceps strain.

Caitlin Clark watches the Indiana Fever warm up before the game against the Washington Mystics at CFG Bank Arena on May 28 - Source: Getty

Veteran DeWanna Bonner paced the Fever with 21 points, while Sydney Colson, filling in as starting point guard, contributed four points and three assists in just under 31 minutes.

The Mystics were powered by standout rookies Kiki Iriafen and Sonia Citron, who teamed up for 29 points and 15 rebounds.

Here are three key weaknesses the Mystics exposed in the Fever’s game.

3 issues facing Indiana Fever exposed by Washington Mystics in Caitlin Clark's absence

#1. Fever struggled to create quality shots

Clark is the centerpiece of Indiana’s offense, handling most of the creation and shot-making duties. Without her, the Fever’s shooting regressed. They hit just 39.7% of their shots (below their season average of 45.0%) and 23.8% from 3 (down from 32.4%).

Offseason acquisitions like Bonner, Colson, Sophie Cunningham and Natasha Howard were expected to elevate the offense, but without Clark, the team has struggled to generate rhythm and high-percentage looks.

#2. Ball movement stagnated without Clark

Before her injury, Clark was leading the WNBA with 9.3 assists per game. Her combination of vision and gravity as a scorer helped open up Indiana’s offense.

The Fever averaged 19.6 assists through their first four games. But on Wednesday, they managed just 15, with no player registering more than four. Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell led in that category.

Colson and Cunningham must step up as floor leaders in Clark’s absence — these minutes are a test of their playmaking and ability to stabilize the offense moving forward.

#3. Defensive lapses proved costly

Indiana allowed 48 points in the paint, with their interior defense routinely exposed. Bigs Aliyah Boston and Damiris Dantas each picked up five fouls, struggling to protect the rim without giving up free throws.

Coach Stephanie White will need to fine-tune both defensive rotations and offensive structure during Clark’s absence. The Fever have depth, and this stretch is a chance to strengthen the team around their franchise player.

About the author

John Ezekiel Hirro is an experienced NBA and WNBA journalist at Sportskeeda, with over five years in the field as a news correspondent, sports writer, and Editor-in-Chief. His sports writing career began in high school, where he garnered numerous accolades, including being named the national sports writing champion in 2016.

He earned his journalism degree from the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines in 2024 and served as the Editor-in-Chief of The Varsitarian, the university's official student publication, for four years—the longest in history.

A passionate basketball enthusiast, he became a fan of the OKC Thunder during the Russ-KD-Harden era. Russell Westbrook, his all-time favorite athlete, impressed him by stepping up as MVP after Kevin Durant's departure. His current favorite players include Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, who he believes are the future of the OKC franchise.

He excels in game analysis and rapid news story turnaround, drawing inspiration from the journalistic styles of Woj and Shams. He emphasizes thorough research to ensure accuracy in his articles. One of his most memorable moments is Russell Westbrook breaking Oscar Robertson's record with his 42nd triple-double and securing a 106-105 victory over the Denver Nuggets with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer. Outside of writing, he enjoys listening to music and creating Spotify playlists.

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Edited by John Ezekiel Hirro