Fever vs. Aces is the newest hurdle in a virtually unprecedented opening schedule for Caitlin Clark

For as a lot as Caitlin Clark has introduced consideration to the WNBA — and she or he’s definitely had nice success doing that up to now — she has struggled to convey wins to the Fever. Friday’s win over the Sparks, which included some dagger 3-pointers from Clark, was the primary victory of the season for Indiana.

After taking part in the Sparks, Indiana will face the Aces on Saturday in Las Vegas for a back-to-back. It is going to even be the third street sport in 4 days with the Fever shedding to the Storm in Seattle on Wednesday.

All that comes after the Fever spent the primary 4 video games successfully alternating matchups in opposition to the New York Liberty and Connecticut Solar, two of the three greatest groups by report final season.

To name it a gauntlet of a schedule can be doing it a disservice. In reality, the extra apt time period could be unprecedented. As Rebecca Lobo of ESPN identified, the open to the season for the Fever, which can characteristic 11 video games in 20 days complete, is just the second time that’s occurred in almost twenty years.

It wasn’t exhausting to see this coming for the Fever as soon as the schedule was launched. However projecting it and seeing it play out are two various things.

In line with Massey Rankings, heading into Friday’s sport in Los Angeles, the Fever have had the second-toughest power of schedule this season. Solely Chicago, who has performed three video games up to now in opposition to top-four groups from final season, ranks forward of them.

The three street video games the Fever have performed this yr are tied for essentially the most of any group up to now. By the top of Saturday night time following their back-to-back, they’ll sit alone on the high of that checklist. That’s about as grueling a begin as there could possibly be, constitution planes or not.

The consequences of which were aplenty for the Fever, however none extra notable than the actual fact they’ve nonetheless but to apply because the season began. It’s a truth Indiana head coach Christie Sides has talked about a handful of instances this season.

Previous to Monday’s sport in opposition to the Solar, Sides was requested if she knew when the following, or first, apply would come. Her focus, nevertheless, was on lastly giving the gamers a relaxation.

“I’m trying ahead to giving the gamers a time off subsequent Sunday,” Sides mentioned. “I’ve received this younger group who’re preventing their a–es off. They’re. They’re studying. I like this group of individuals. It began final yr and they’re simply rising collectively. It’s a troublesome, powerful state of affairs for them however I admire their competitiveness and their skill to return in and keep optimistic. That’s exhausting to do generally.”

It will be a bit naive to not suppose this schedule was deliberate by the WNBA. Of the 5 street video games the Fever may have had after the upcoming weekend, 4 of them may have come in opposition to the highest three groups within the league final season and in Los Angeles, arguably the league’s greatest market.

Caitlin Clark attracts consideration and eyes to the sport. And when you had been drawing up a great begin to the season to maximise the quantity of individuals she’s going to attract, it could embody New York, Los Angeles and Las Vegas, all locations Clark and the Fever may have performed within the first seven video games.

Ultimately, Indiana will get an extended, prolonged break. After this opening 11-game stretch, which concludes on Sunday, June 2, in New York, the Fever might be off till Friday, June 7. At that time, the schedule seems way more “regular,” with a number of days between video games, permitting for apply time and off days.

However attending to that time would require the franchise to navigate probably the most brutal schedules in current league historical past.

You may observe Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude.