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ESPN Analyst Claims Fever Are 'More Dangerous' Without Caitlin Clark
Jul 20, 2022; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Sports broadcaster Carolyn Peck arrives on the red carpet before the 2022 ESPY Awards at Microsoft Theater. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The Indiana Fever blew the Las Vegas Aces out on July 3, beating them by a score of 81-54 at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse Arena. This marks the second consecutive contest where Indiana has played great (and won big) against one of the WNBA's most talented teams, as the Fever beat the Minnesota Lynx 74-59 to secure the WNBA Commissioner's Cup Championship on July 1.

While fans expected the Fever to be able to compete against (and ultimately) beat teams of this caliber, if you had told these same fans before the season that the Fever would be doing so while Caitlin Clark is sidelined with a groin injury, they likely would not have believed you.

But the Fever have managed to look elite in these past two games while Clark's return appears imminent. And according to ESPN analyst Carolyn Peck, Indiana could be an even better team when she's not on the court.

"I think that Indiana is even more dangerous when Caitlin Clark doesn't play," Peck said during a July 3 episode of SportsCenter, per an X post from Ken Swift. "Because she's a ball-dominant guard. The ball is in her hands a lot, so you know what you need to try to take away. But when you look at Indiana now, they've got so many weapons.

"When you have a point guard like Kelsey Mitchell, and Aari McDonald making plays on the perimeter, and a post like Aliyah Boston, I'm gonna tell you: Indiana, they are a threat. And it's specifically on the defensive end," Peck added.

This sentiment is not going to sit well with Clark's gigantic fan base.

This article first appeared on Women's Fastbreak on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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