It took considerable time, but rookie phenom Caitlin Clark, All-Star Aliyah Boston and the Indiana Fever have seemingly figured out how to play together.
By Lior Lampert | Jun 17, 2024
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Inherently, the entire calculus changed for the Indiana Fever upon winning the Caitlin Clark sweepstakes in the 2024 WNBA Draft. As arguably the most transcendent talent to enter the league in recent memory, the franchise understandably has tailored to her strengths.
Perhaps no member of the Fever has sacrificed more to make way for Clark than last year’s No. 1 overall pick, Aliyah Boston. Many presumed the two would form a lethal pick-and-roll duo. Alas, it has not been the seamless transition many envisioned. However, the connection between the talented, exciting young tandem is budding, and the numbers reflect that.
In May, when the Fever got off to a 1-8 start, Boston experienced a notable dropoff in statistical production from her first year as a pro. She averaged 11 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists and less than a block per game while shooting 45.2 percent from the field. Since then, she has returned to pre-Clark form, looking like the unanimous 2023 Rookie of the Year we’ve become accustomed to.
Boston is averaging 14.2 points, 9.5 rebounds, 3.2 dimes and 1.7 blocks in six June contests. Her hot streak illustrates that she and Clark have gotten more comfortable playing off one another. Moreover, they are working together beautifully, as evidenced by their dramatically improved assist count over the past two games.
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In their first 13 games alongside one another, Clark only assisted Boston 17 times. The former set up the latter on nine occasions in Indiana’s last two meetings against the Atlanta Atlanta Dream and Chicago Sky.
Unsurprisingly, the blossoming rapport between Clark and Boston is translating to on-court success for the Fever. Since their dismal start to the campaign, Indiana has gone 4-2.
It took considerable time, but Clark, Boston and the Fever have seemingly figured it out. While it may be too late to salvage this season based on ESPN’s projections, it is an encouraging sign for their joint long-term outlook.
The future is bright in Indiana, headlined by Clark and Boston.
