Caitlin Clark's value to Fever apparent in back-to-back losses

It was clear before her injury that Caitlin Clark was one of the most valuable players in the WNBA.

As a rookie, the former Iowa superstar finished fourth in MVP voting. According to FanDuel, she's got the second-best MVP odds behind only Napheesa Collier of the Minnesota Lynx.

Collier has been the best player in the WNBA this season. Yet, after another loss by the Indiana Fever on Friday night, this time to the winless Connecticut Sun, 85-83, it's clear just how valuable Clark is.

After reinforcing their defense with some veterans and a proven head coach, the Fever were expected to be one of the WNBA's best teams.

Despite their 2-4 start, they still are. 

But with at least two more games to go without Clark, if the two-week prognosis of the injury is accurate, you wonder how big the hole to climb out of for Indiana might be.

There is a home game against the Washington Mystics, the team that beat Indiana earlier this week after the Fever were held to 23.8 percent from 3-point range. 

Aliyah Boston scored 18 points on 8-of-10 shooting on Friday night. Indiana shot 41 percent from deep, but is averaging 80 points per game without Clark, compared to 88 per game with her.

It's fair to point out that the Fever suffered two losses by a combined three points with Clark in the lineup, but one of those was against the New York Liberty, the still-unbeaten reigning WNBA champs.

Yet, against two teams with a combined record of 2-8, the Fever went 0-2. That's not good enough, and it's another reminder of how valuable Clark is to the Fever, let alone the rest of the WNBA.