Indiana Fever Coach Christie Sides Offers Gentle Criticism Of Caitlin Clark

Indiana Fever head coach Christie Sides has been navigating through the pressure and bright lights that rookie Caitlin Clark has brought to the organization. She came as the No. 1 overall pick in 2024, and all eyes turned to the Fever.

Sides recently spoke with the media to share some gentle criticism of Clark before the Fever take on the Phoenix Mercury on Sunday at 3:00 ET.

Sides made it clear she wants Clark to be more selfish at times and take the shot, rather than looking for that extra pass.

"We talked a few –– in the game the other night she had a couple passes that she made, that she probably should've not made, and been more looking to shoot in those moments. So just trying to balance that with her... a couple more," said Sides via Matthew Byrne on X.

It's been clear all season that while Clark leads the rookie class with 16.2 points and 6.6 assists, the first-year player has experienced growing pains. She's currently shooting 40.1% from the field while averaging 5.6 turnovers.

Sides has given Clark the greenlight to shoot the ball, but she's played more of a facilitator role in Indiana. While she's a quality playmaker, Sides believes she has to learn how to pick and choose, making quick decisions on the offensive end.

Sides and Clark have a tall task ahead of them, facing Diana Taurasi and Brittney Griner in Phoenix. The experienced Mercury team may present another challenge for Clark, but Sides has mentioned before that in-game adjustments will be made and Clark will have to maneuver through different defensive sets.

The Fever are riding a two-game losing streak, looking to get back in the win column during their West Coast trip, where they'll play the Mercury on Sunday and the Las Vegas Aces on Tuesday at 9:30 ET.

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