Caitlin Clark’s return to the league after an injury-laden last season has been overwhelming. The Indiana Fever guard hasn’t missed a beat on the court, recording 20+ points with ease in her games so far. Yet despite that, there have been aspects of her game that have raised uncomfortable questions around one aspect of her game: persistent turnovers. Amid this, the NBC broadcasters have stepped in to support CC during the Indiana Fever-Seattle Storm game on Sunday.
Speaking on air, NBC broadcasters Caroline Pineda and LaChina Robinson shared a brief explanation regarding Clark’s turnover issues. They noted that it’s not unusual for the team’s primary ball handlers, citing names like Nikola Jokic and Cade Cunningham.
“I feel like that’s worth mentioning, LaChina, because we all read the comments,” Pineda said. “We see some folks have a problem with how much Caitlin turns the ball over, right? They’re always looking for something.
“So I looked things up, just comparing to the NBA leaders in assists, Nikola Jokic, about 10 assists a game, 4 turnovers a game. Cade Cunningham, who I know is playing a big game tonight, has about 9.5 assists per game and 4 turnovers per game. So, calm down, everybody. When you’re handling the ball, you are going to have to turn over,” Pineda added further.
From a general perspective, Clark’s turnover issues have been quite prevalent this season. The Fever guard is averaging 5 turnovers per game, which, needless to say, is quite high. Even in Indiana’s win over the LA Sparks, we saw Clark roll over the ball a season-high 6 times.
But it’s important to understand that it’s quite natural, given that she’s the team’s primary ball handler. Most of the plays that the Indiana Fever make go through her on the court. Thus, at times, the defense might double-team her tightly, or Clark might even lose it while trying to find a teammate on a difficult pass.
With all these factors combined, Clark’s turnover issues are unavoidable, regardless of how good a field general she is. This is where Caroline Pineda’s assessment stands out.
We’ve seen it with top NBA players like Jokic and Cunningham, who are at the top of the regular-season assists leaderboard and are averaging around 3.8 turnovers per game. In fact, Luka Doncic, who was third in the assists leaderboard in the regular season, has 4 turnovers per game.
In the WNBA as well, Alyssa Thomas, who’s leading the league in assists currently, also has around 3.8 turnovers per game right now. Of course, Caitlin Clark’s average is a bit high in this regard. But it’s understandable given that she’s coming off an injury-laden last season.
The Fever guard hasn’t been part of the WNBA action ever since July of last year. So, it’s quite certain that even Clark would need some time to get her rhythm back. Her current assists-to-turnovers ratio is 1.6, which is quite decent. Furthermore, CC has always been a high-risk, high-reward player.
Even in her first two WNBA seasons, she averaged 5 turnovers per game. But irrespective of it, her production doesn’t seem to diminish. We saw it in her latest outing as well, where she helped her team to a 78-89 win despite turning the ball over 5 times.
Caitlin Clark’s Double-Double Sees Fever Through at Home For First Time This Season
After conceding two home defeats since the season tipoff to Dallas and Washington, the Gainbridge Fieldhouse finally has its first win. Caitlin Clark, just like multiple times in the past, was right at the center of it. The Fever guard recorded 21 points, 10 assists, 7 rebounds, and 2 blocks to cap off her night with another All-Star level performance.
One notable aspect of her game on Sunday evening was her approach to scoring. Clark, who is touted as one of the best three-point shooters in the league, attempted just 4 in the game. She emphasized scoring from the paint, finishing her night with 5 of 10 from the field.
With this double-double, Caitlin Clark now has the most games in WNBA history with 20+ points and 10+ assists. Following this stellar win, Clark stepped in for an on-court interview with NBC’s Caroline Pineda. The Fever guard expressed her pride in the team, while clearly noting that the team needs to step up its defense.
“It probably took us a little longer than we wanted to, but we battled, ” Clark said. “Our defense still needs to improve. I thought we could close out the game a little bit better, but wins are really hard in this league. So, you take them when you get them. But proud of our group.”
Kelsey Mitchell and Sophie Cunningham also recorded double figures in points for the Fever in the game. The team had a bit too many turnovers (17). But otherwise, the team fared quite well against Seattle’s young core, which featured dynamic players like Flau’jae Johnson.
This performance from Clark once again echoes a known sentiment. She might not be perfect on the court and might give the ball away too often. But when it comes to the on-court production for the Fever, there isn’t anyone as good as her on this team.
