Fever Big 3 are hitting their stride at the right time
Nekias Duncan and Steve Jones Jr. note the improvement that Aaliyah Boston, Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell have made during the season on their way to a top 4 record in the WNBA. Check out the full conversation on "The Dunker Spot" and subscribe on Apple Podcasts , Spotify , YouTube or wherever you listen .
Video Transcript
So they're putting together a season where, okay, we're knocking on the door.
We're closer to three than you expected, and if we, we continue to s- we could get to two.
But what's intrigued me has been the play of Caitlin Clark, Kelsey Mitchell, and Aliyah Boston, and how their flow has improved together, and the lineup change I think has enhanced their entire team on both ends of the floor.
But I think with- Mm-hmm Caitlin Clark overall, Caitlin Clark's really been in command during this stretch of basketball.
I think the pace has been pushed to a high degree.
Mm-hmm.
I think she's attacking space and really causing problems for defenders early in the clock.
That ball is outletted to Caitlin Clark, and you can see times where she's crossing it around 22 on the clock.
Mm-hmm.
Not even trying to be funny.
Ball's over there at 22.
You've always mentioned full court pressure.
I know you love that.
Teams like to pressure Caitlin Clark.
Teams stopped liking to pressure Caitlin Clark, and Caitlin Clark said- "Oh, this space is fun.
I'm enjoying this."
So Caitlin Clark with space bringing the ball up the court, now that's tougher to deal with because what she's put together this year, there is a willingness to drive that has continued to grow.
And that's with a screen or without a screen.
Mm-hmm.
There's a continued and growing comfort in the mid-range to get to my spot, and the, "Hey, I got the footwork, I got the handle, I'm letting this fly, we're good to go."
There's a always present, ever present animation to get to the sidestep three if you're playing off.
So as a defender, are you, are you taking away the drive?
Are you taking away the three?
Are you looking for a screen?
Caitlin Clark's kind of in command.
And so we'll talk about her defense in a little bit.
Mm-hmm.
But I think in, in combination with the consistency that Kelsey Mitchell has had this year, has opened things up for this Indiana Fever team, and I think it's lifted them up because Kelsey Mitchell is going to score the basketball.
She is.
She's going to try to score the basketball.
You know she's going to try and score the basketball, and then she just continues and does it.
She continues to do it.
Does it in different ways, like early in the clock, off ball, drive, second side, late in the clock, like slippery on ball and off ball.
When you watch and see the players say, "Hey, who's the toughest person to guard?"
And they say, "Kelsey Mitchell," watch Kelsey Mitchell and you'll understand, because the drives are with force.
The drives are with contact.
The gr- the drives are compact with speed.
You go under Kelsey Mitchell, it's not stopping the attack.
If you're chasing Kelsey Mitchell on an off ball screen or a hand off, she does not need much time or space to either turn that corner or the footwork is always ready to get to a one dribble, two dribble pull-up.
Mm-hmm.
And both of them are in rhythm.
So okay, I've, I've spent a bunch of time beating you up with the drive.
Now I have this inch of space, I made a jumper.
Well, how do I deal with this?
I'm not having a good time.
Mm-hmm.
And then Aliyah Boston, ever present, always ties everything together on both ends, but the offensive flow between those three I think has been important, Nikaas.
Like- Mm-hmm obviously there's times you can go side to side.
You have to deal with Caitlin Clark, ball swings, now it's Kelsey Mitchell attacking.
The split action they've run, where, okay, maybe we run a pin down for Kelsey Mitchell, Aliyah Boston flashes.
Now it's Kelsey Mitchell and Caitlin Clark screening for each other or pa- or, or cutting, and now either one can get downhill, and you have to deal with Aliyah Boston rolling.
They've kind of found a way to not To let this be a little bit more improvisational between those three, as opposed to- Yeah "Well, we're doing movement."
No, no, no.
We're letting th- we're letting these three kind of paint the numbers and playing out of advantages there.
So I've just really enjoyed- Mm-hmm them kind of growing, especially within that new starting lineup context.
