After months of breaking ankles, breaking records, and breaking the Internet, Caitlin Clark experienced something foreign during her WNBA playoff debut: being shut down. Yep, it turns out even superheroes have their off days. In a Game 1 to forget, Clark put up one of the worst performances of her rookie season, shooting a measly 4-of-17 from the field and bricking her way to a 2-of-13 display from downtown. Not exactly the fire-breathing, laser-focused Clark we’ve come to expect.
Meanwhile, the Connecticut Sun basked in their defensive glory, cruising to a 93-69 beatdown over the Indiana Fever, likely leaving Clark with a whole lot of thoughts and a fresh itch to redeem herself. But don’t worry, Caitlin stans—Monica McNutt is already sharpening her crystal ball for Game 2.
Appearing on ESPN’s NBA Today, McNutt—who clearly isn’t losing sleep over Clark’s shaky playoff debut—predicted a full-blown bounce-back. “The Connecticut Sun? Yeah, they’ve been a defensive juggernaut, one of the top three teams for like five years running,” McNutt said. “But if there’s one thing Caitlin Clark does better than hitting impossible threes, it’s bouncing back after a bad game. Just wait—she’s about to drop 25-plus in Game 2. It’s what she does!”
And McNutt isn’t bluffing. History is on her side—four times this season, Clark has followed a dud with a 20-plus-point explosion. So, Game 2 might as well come with a trigger warning for the Sun defense. After all, when Caitlin gets angry, defenses tend to disappear like your Wi-Fi during a rainstorm.
A Rookie Season for the Ages
Let’s not lose sight of the fact that this rookie year for Clark has been nothing short of legendary. With 19.2 points per game, 8.4 assists, and 5.7 rebounds, she’s not just playing in the WNBA—she’s playing with it, bending it to her will. Oh, and let’s not forget: she shattered the WNBA single-season assist record and the rookie single-season scoring record. Not bad for a first-timer, huh?
In fact, her epic season was capped off by being named the unanimous Rookie of the Year—a decision so obvious, even a jury of Clark’s harshest critics couldn’t disagree. On top of that, she snagged All-WNBA First Team and Rookie Team honors. Basically, she’s collecting more accolades than your grandma collects porcelain dolls.
Game 2: The Redemption Arc
So, what’s next for Caitlin Clark and the Fever? Oh, just a little thing called Game 2 on Wednesday night, where Clark is basically expected to go full NBA Jam mode—she’s about to be “on fire!” With McNutt’s confident call, we’ll be waiting for Clark to torch the Sun (pun absolutely intended). After all, if her past tells us anything, she’s not one to let a bad game slide without exacting some serious revenge. So, grab your popcorn, folks—Game 2 is about to get very interesting.