Caitlin Clark Injury Absence Doesn't Assist Fever Teammate Aliyah Boston

Unfortunately, it's not the first time Boston's production has suffered a dip without Clark on the court.

After being held out against the Sparks with a left groin injury, Indiana's star guard has already missed 6 games in 2025. The Fever's offense runs through Clark, and it's left them scrambling in her wake, the widespread effects even reaching their dominant forward.

In 9 games this season with Clark active, Boston is averaging 18.6 PPG. With Clark sidelined, Boston's scoring sinks to 11.2 PPG, a 6-game sample size that's noteworthy enough to raise some eyebrows.

Although Boston struggled from the field against Los Angeles, the overall splits don't show a stark drop-off in efficiency (60.2% FG with Clark, 57.1% without). She's been productive either way, but there's a tangible difference in Boston's offensive success without #22 running the floor.

Boston had been everything the Fever could ask for during Clark's 1-for-23 three-point slump, averaging 24.2 PPG on 66.7% shooting through the three-game stretch.

Of course, that's different than not having Clark on the court altogether. A little dip is to be expected in her wake, particularly when considering that Boston is far and away her favorite target.

40 of Clark's team-high 80 assists this season have been directed toward Boston, and it was a major part of the latter's dominance during the three-game skid, with Clark often relying on Boston down low to finish off plays.

There's more to the discrepancy in the splits than simply losing an elite facilitator. Slumping or not, Clark's presence fundamentally affects how opponents will gameplan for the Fever.

Clark's reputation as a long-ball threat and her fondness for three-pointers 30+ feet out stretches the defense, forcing guards to play her tight once she crosses half court.

Indiana head coach Stephanie White even made a point to note that Clark has been "getting hounded 94 feet, 40 minutes a game every game." Clearly, it's something the Fever are taking note of.

The Fever have other shooters that must be contested at the perimeter. Lexie Hull is pacing the squad with a 51.2% clip from beyond the arc, while Kelsey Mitchell, Sophie Cunningham, and the newly added Aari McDonald are all more than capable of converting their three-point looks.

That said, none of the above require the intense and aggressive defensive hounding that Clark commands. And without the upper level of the defense drawn out well beyond the three-point line, it allows teams to direct more of their attention back to the paint, where Boston has done the bulk of her damage this season.

With Clark sidelined, Boston was the Sparks' primary focus. Los Angeles crowded the paint and made sure the majority of her paint looks didn't come easy.

Combine that with the fact that Indiana doesn't have another playmaker on the same level as Clark and it becomes more apparent why these splits have manifested so substantially.

Clark has a knack for drawing defenders toward her and then delivering a picture-perfect dime that sets up Boston on the doorstep for an easy bucket. The return of McDonald gives Indiana a speedy playmaker who should be able to assume some of that responsibility as she settles back in, but there isn't a single player on the roster who can quite match the vision that Clark puts on display game in and game out.

Admittedly, dissecting these issues from afar is easier than solving them. Due to Clark's early-season injury troubles, the Fever have been put in the unenviable position of trying to replace the all-encompassing production that an elite All-WNBA guard provides.

Boston is an elite young big who's on track to become one of the best players in the game at her position. It's not an indictment of her talent, but rather a cautionary red flag that the Fever need to find ways to have sustainable offensive success without Clark on the floor.

In the devastating scenario that Clark's injuries persist, Indiana will be in for a world of trouble if they don't start to make adjustments.