Caitlin Clark isn't hiding behind the schedule, even though the schedule has been brutal.

After the Indiana Fever's 109-102 loss to the New York Liberty on Saturday, Clark addressed reporters about her team's grueling stretch of games, acknowledging the difficulty without using it as an excuse.

"I mean, like there's no excuses," Clark said at the post-game media availability, per Heavy. "Like yeah, our schedule's tough, and I think we play more back-to-backs than just about anybody in the league, but you know, it is what it is."

The numbers back up her point. The Fever have three sets of back-to-back games this season, tied with the Las Vegas Aces, New York Liberty and Golden State Valkyries for the most in the league. Those back-to-backs landed on July 8-9, July 17-18, and August 22-23. Sunday's game against the Chicago Sky will also mark Indiana's fifth game in seven days.

The Liberty loss came as the first leg of a back-to-back, with the Fever immediately flying to Chicago to close out a five-game road trip.

Rather than leaning on the exhausting stretch as a justification, Clark delivered a blunt message about pushing through it. 

"Everybody's tired, everybody's sore, who cares?,” said Clark at the post-game media availability, as per Heavy. “Figure out a way to make yourself feel better and suit up and go play.”

That mentality matters given the stakes. The Fever had been riding a five-game winning streak and sitting third in the WNBA standings before dropping back-to-back losses to the Dallas Wings and Liberty. 

They have since slipped to fifth place with six games remaining, and the margin for error is shrinking fast. Only 2.5 games separate Indiana from the No. 8 seed, with the Liberty, Washington Mystics and Wings all closing in from behind.

Despite the schedule, Fever stand triumphant after 2-game slump

Caitlin Clark said there would be no excuses. She backed it up with a career night.

The Indiana Fever closed out their brutal five-game, eight-day road trip with a win over the Chicago Sky, finishing 3-2 on the stretch thanks to a dominant performance from Clark on the second night of a back-to-back.

As per SI, Clark set a career-high with eight three-pointers, finishing with 37 points and 10 assists, another 30-point, 10-assist game in a category where she remains unmatched in the league.

Kelsey Mitchell matched her energy, hitting six threes of her own for 30 points despite a slow start, while Lexie Hull added 14 points in one of her best offensive outings of the season. Second-year forward Makayla Timpson chipped in 12 points and 9 rebounds.

The Fever have one more game before the FIBA World Cup break, hosting Connecticut on Friday.

Do you think Clark's response after back-to-back losses shows real growth in her mentality?

Written by

Zaid Quraishi

Edited by

Zaid Quraishi