‘Almost Certainly Won’t Get [the Ball] Back’ — Analyst Rips Fever’s Selfish Play Around Caitlin Clark Amid Pivotal Paige Bueckers Showdown

The Indiana Fever’s five-game winning streak ended Thursday night after the Dallas Wings beat Caitlin Clark’s team 91-85. The loss dropped the Fever to fourth in the WNBA standings (24-13), half a game behind the Las Vegas Aces (25-13).

A win at the American Airlines Center would have clinched Indiana’s playoff spot, but the Fever will now have to wait. Adding to the concern, a veteran analyst called out the team’s selfish play around Caitlin Clark and questioned the Fever’s overall team effort.

Skip Bayless Bashes Caitlin Clark’s Teammates Over Fever’s Selfish Play in Wings Loss

Thursday’s defeat marked Indiana’s third and final regular-season meeting with Paige Bueckers and Co.

During the pivotal contest, 74-year-old analyst Skip Bayless took to X, pointing out his concern about how Clark gets her scoring chances.

“One thing about Caitlin Clark as a scorer: Almost all her shots happen only when she dribbles the ball up the floor and immediately creates her own. If she passes it on this team, she almost certainly won’t get it back,” Bayless wrote.

One thing about Caitlin Clark as a scorer: Almost all her shots happen only when she dribbles the ball up the floor and immediately creates her own. If she passes it on this team, she almost certainly won’t get it back.

— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) August 21, 2026

Clark struggled to find her shot against Dallas. She ended the night with 10 points on 4-for-15 shooting and went 2-for-8 from 3-point range.

However, Clark still made an impact in several other areas. She finished with 9 assists, 4 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block across 35 minutes.

Her 9 assists accounted for more than half of Indiana’s 17 total assists. That number showed how important Clark was in helping the Fever move the ball and create chances.

The lack of facilitation from the rest of the roster was also evident, with Indiana’s bench managing just 4 points and leaving the team heavily dependent on its main players for shot creation.

Kelsey Mitchell remains Indiana’s primary scoring option. She ranks second in the WNBA in scoring at 24.6 points per game but averages just 2.7 assists a night.

Aliyah Boston is also averaging only 2.9 assists per game. Those numbers further highlight how much Indiana relies on Clark to create shots for others while receiving limited playmaking in return.

On the other hand, Mitchell once again carried a major share of Indiana’s scoring load against Dallas. Her offensive production kept the Fever within reach despite Clark’s struggles.

The star guard finished with 37 points and extended her run of 20-point games to 21 straight. That streak set a new WNBA record.

Still, Indiana could not overcome its wider problems. The Fever struggled to contain Dallas throughout the game and allowed the Wings to take control when it mattered.

The daunting road trip made an unbeaten run unlikely, but Indiana will now need to fix its defensive issues and find more balance around Clark as it prepares for its next game on Saturday against the New York Liberty (22-15).