The Indiana Fever’s record and statistics when Caitlin Clark is not playing are becoming impossible to ignore, according to recent observations. In 2025, the Fever began to learn how to play without their star player. By 2026, the team has perfected and enhanced their play when Clark is unavailable, as was evident in a recent match against the Phoenix Mercury.
Clark returned from a two-game absence on Wednesday, recovering from a lingering back problem. During a 106-92 blowout loss to the Sparks in Los Angeles, she was on a minutes restriction and missed eight of her 12 shots, recording an average of one turnover every four minutes. The following night, with Clark resting due to a back-to-back schedule, the Fever significantly trimmed their turnovers by nearly 40 percent. Indiana then secured a 92-89 victory against a rested Mercury team, shooting 50 percent from the field.
Fever’s Performance Without Clark
The dichotomy between the Fever’s performance with Clark and without her in 2026 is growing too large to dismiss. This season, Indiana holds a 4-0 record when Clark does not play, compared to a 9-9 record when she is in the lineup. The efficiency of their top-ranked offence does not drop significantly without the three-time All-Star.
Indiana has allowed 100 points or more on eight occasions this season, which is just one off the WNBA record. All of these instances where 100 points or more were conceded have occurred with Clark on the court. The Fever ranks 13th out of 15 teams in turnover rate, averaging 14.6 per game, and Clark leads the WNBA in total turnovers. However, when Clark is out and Ty Harris starts at point guard, the Fever average under 11 turnovers per game. These extra possessions are crucial, and Clark, whose 32.5 percent usage rate ranks in the 99th percentile of WNBA players, gives away more possessions than Harris.
Historical Context and Player Contributions
The notion that the Fever’s record without Clark is accidental, and that Indiana is clearly better with her, could have been challenged last autumn. Clark missed all but 13 games during the 2025 season due to various soft tissue injuries. She was shut down for the season in September, yet Indiana, relying on the brilliance of Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell, came within one game of reaching the WNBA Finals.
Individually, there is little debate that Clark is one of the WNBA’s most exciting players. She has attracted a multitude of new fans to the league and has driven up interest in the WNBA like few others before her. Most nights, she can be expected to contribute 20-plus points and close to 10 assists. Few other players possess her passing ability and shooting range.
Future Contract Implications
Indiana is demonstrating that the team is much more than just Clark. Clark could earn approximately $1.3 million per year if she signs a max contract extension with the Fever next season. Such a contract would come with clear caveats beyond the salary cap implications of employing Clark, Boston, and Mitchell on million-dollar contracts.