3 Ways Fever Can Assure Caitlin Clark Postseason Basketball as Battle for Playoff Seeding Heats Up

The Golden State Valkyries and the Los Angeles Sparks have 5 games each, with the latter having the most difficult run. They will face playoff teams four times, with tough games lined up until the end of the regular season.

Usually, this should result in a favorable situation for the Fever, as the Sparks are 1.5 games behind them. However, they have to do their part, and they have two games against weaker opponents, which they can look to win.

They will play Angel Reese and the Chicago Sky on September 5th, and then the Washington Mystics a couple of days later. These will be must-win games for them, as winning them is the only way they can guarantee a spot in the postseason.

Bring Caitlin Clark back to play in either of those 2 games

Those games are a few days away, which should tie in nicely with a possible return for Caitlin Clark. She needs reps with the starters if the Indiana Fever are to have a fighting chance in the postseason.

Of late, the Chicago Sky are not that weak, with Angel Reese keeping her team close in losses against playoff opponents. Therefore, the coaching staff might look to avoid upsetting the current rhythm the players are in.

If they can do the job, it will make sense for the 23-year-old point guard to eye a return against the Mystics. That game would be the perfect chance for the Iowa superstar to get her feel back for the game.

Then, their final game is against the league-leading Minnesota Lynx. By that time, it is possible that they will lock up 1st place, and might rest their starters. That would again be a good chance for Clark to push her team to a possible win and further cement their playoff hopes.

Fever should focus on building chemistry between the new core

Whatever strategy they employ, if the Indiana Fever are focused on making the most out of a potential trip to the postseason, they have to think in advance about their playoff strategies.

The Indianapolis-based franchise might not have the team to take on the might of the league’s best in a postseason environment. But they would like to go down fighting, and the only way they can do so is with a united effort.

Whenever Caitlin Clark returns, there is no doubt that she will start the game along with the 1st team. That would mean Odyssey Sims will return to the bench. It will not be ideal, considering how her hot streak helped the team win 2 straight games.

Before the Iowa native went down with her current injury, the Fever had experimented with her playing off the ball alongside Aari McDonald. As long as head coach Stephanie White does not make a similar mistake, the roster should be fine having 2 dynamic guards playing throughout the game.

However, the team should look into playing a mix of both lineups in at least one game to see if they can create new schemes. But all that is only possible once they secure a postseason berth.