Fever coach Christie Sides called out star rookie Caitlin Clark for more offense after another passive performance in a loss Thursday.
“Caitlin Clark needs to shoot a minimum of 15 shots a game for us,” Sides said after Clark tallied just nine shots in an 89-77 setback against the Storm, via ESPN. “She’s got to get shots, and we’ve got to do a better job of setting her up, setting some really good screens for her to get her open.”
Clark has had a strong rookie season for the Fever, averaging 16.2 points and 6.6 assists per game while hoisting 12.2 field goals per game.
While noting that Clark has been defended physically all season, Sides believes the path to more victories for the Fever is getting Clark more on-ball looks as the primary table-setter for their offense.
Clark’s 12.2 field goal attempts per game ranks 22nd in the WNBA this year and the most among rookies.
However, she has attempted 15 shots just once in 10 games after doing so four times in May.
Clark averaged 22.7 shots per game in her final season at Iowa.
“The way people guard her, it’s tough,” Sides said. “Once the ball is out of her hands, she is setting up the rest of our team for some really great looks. She’s getting some pretty good looks [for herself] off the ball. But we like her on the ball, so we have to figure out how to manage the two.”
Over her last two games, Clark has noticeably not been as aggressive as Sides would hope.
In Thursday’s loss, Clark made nine shot attempts, while three players on the Fever took more attempts than their star rookie.
Fellow guard Kelsey Mitchell is taking 13.4 shots per game, the most on the team.
In the 88-87 loss to Angel Reese’s Sky on June 23, Clark attempted just one shot in the final seven minutes and three total shots in the fourth quarter while the Fever blew a 15-point third-quarter lead.
Clark passed to a teammate rather than take a potential go-ahead shot in the final 20 seconds.
“I never want her to not be aggressive and take shots,” Sides said after that loss. “I really thought when she want out in transition after that missed free throw, I thought she was going to take it to the rim or pull up right there. That would have been a great shot for her, for our team.”
Clark acknowledged Thursday she could look to score more often.
“I could definitely be a little more aggressive to the basket,” Clark said, per ESPN. “But I think I’m just going to try to take what the defense gives me and try to set my teammates up for success, too.”
