The beauty of having a big three that’s as talented as the Fever’s trio of Caitlin Clark, Aliyah Boston, and Kelsey Mitchell is that it gives you more threats than most opponents can comfortably handle. When opposing defenses manage to shut down one of them, one just has a bad game, or one is out, the others can pick up the slack. For example, Boston went 0-3 for four points against the Sparks, but Clark and Mitchell combined for 47 points on over 50% shooting from the field and carried the Fever to a win.
Clark, Boston, and Mitchell all rarely have quiet or inefficient games at the same time. Before their loss to the Valkyries, a close overtime loss to the Mystics was the closest thing. Boston finished that game with just 9 points, Mitchell scored 24 but shot only 40% from the floor, and Clark got 32 points on 35% shooting from the field.
The Valkyries managed to limit the big three’s scoring and efficiency at the same time, and that’s something the Fever won’t be able to overcome on most occasions.
Clark, Boston, and Mitchell all struggled against the Valkyries
The Fever secured a 90-82 win the first time they faced the Valkyries this season, but Natalie Nakase’s club was ready to put together a better performance in the rematch. They won a close 90-88 game behind outstanding offensive performances from Veronica Burton, Gabby Williams, and Janelle Salaün, and a stifling defensive effort.
Clark, Boston, and Mitchell were all held to 16 points or less, got into foul trouble, and shot below 40% from the field. Clark finished with 16 points on 25% shooting, turned the ball over five times, and got picked on on defense. Boston struggled with offensive foul calls, and Mitchell only got five of her 13 shots to fall.
Even the best players just have bad shooting games sometimes, but the Valkyries’ defense deserves a ton of credit for how it limited the Fever’s big three. They are the number-two defense in the league for a reason. Between Williams, Burton, and Kaila Charles, the Valkyries can match up with the best perimeter players, and Kiah Stokes has been outstanding as a rim protector, tying A’ja Wilson for the second-most blocks across the WNBA.
The good news for the Fever: not many teams can replicate the Valkyries’ defensive intensity and talent.
Sophie Cunningham and Raven Johnson stepped up big
It’s impressive that the Fever lost the game by just two points with Clark, Boston, and Mitchell struggling so much. Rookie Raven Johnson helped keep the team afloat with her best scoring game yet. She finished with 16 points on 7-10 shooting from the field.
Sophie Cunningham wasn’t quite as efficient, but she also added 11 points off the bench, and Makayla Timpson was good for 7 points on 3-3 shooting.
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