Fever Teammate Wants Caitlin Clark to Change Approach After Injury Return

The performance from Mitchell is especially eye-opening. She has gotten better as the season has gone on, which is not easy because her role is probably most affected by whether Clark plays or not. But in ther last five game, Mitchell has gone for 20-plus points in five straight games, averaging 24.6 points over that span, on 56.7% shooting, 58.8% 3-point shooting.

Mitchell's performance could be taken as a bit of a lesson for Clark when she does return from injury. As Howard sees it, Clark puts so much pressure on herself to carry the Fever--as she did when she was at Iowa--that she sometimes misses an opportunity to allow her very talented teammates to help carry the load. 

The advice from Howard, a 12-year-veteran, should ring true with Clark. 

"Everybody knows she can shoot the heck out the ball. And she can pass," Howard told Hall of Famer Sue Bird on Brid's podcast. "But just letting her know you don’t have to do everything like you had to do in Iowa. You have great teammates and phenomenal players around you that can take that weight off your shoulders. 

"You don’t have to do everything. We expect you to knock down those clutch shots, that’s what we expect you to do. But overall, you don’t have to do everything. Give us some of your pressure, too."

Clark remains day-to-day as she tries to return from the groin issue. The Fever are now 4-4 when she does not play, plus the Commissioner's Cup win.