The Indiana Fever are running out of point guards. With Caitlin Clark sidelined for the ninth straight game, their matchup against the Phoenix Mercury pushed their roster depth to the limit. Sydney Colson exited in the first quarter with an injury, followed by Aari McDonald in the fourth. Even lead scorer and point guard Sophie Cunningham dealt with minor injury concerns during the game.

Facing a shorthanded lineup, the Fever stood little chance against Phoenix. The Mercury capitalized, cruising to a dominant 35-point win. Now, as the Fever scramble to fill the point guard void, head coach Stephanie White has her thoughts on what comes next.

In the post-game media availability following the Mercury matchup, White shared how Colson’s exit this early in the game affected their morale. “Well, I think it affects emotionally because nobody wants to see a teammate go down like that. But also, on the floor, that’s another point guard, a primary ball handler, someone who is a big part of our rotation on both ends of the floor,” she said.

White further added that this loss in the first quarter increased the workload and stress on other players. However, she made it clear that she was proud of her team, despite the unfortunate loss. “I’m proud of this group, and we continued to fight. It wasn’t pretty, and sometimes you have these games,” the Indiana Fever head coach stated.

It indeed wasn’t pretty for Caitlin Clark and co. Colson was out of the game after playing for one minute. The Fever roster huddled up to make an impromptu plan, but whatever they threw at Mercury, it didn’t land. Players like Kelsey Mitchell, Lexie Hull, Sophie Cunningham, and Aliyah Boston had to play longer than intended. And the fatigue was evident.

What went wrong with Caitlin Clark and co?

The Mercury vs. Fever clash turned into a night of misfortune for Indiana. The Fever struggled offensively, shooting just 34.3% from the field and 23.3% from beyond the arc. On top of that, Phoenix forced 20 turnovers, capitalizing on nearly every mistake. The damage wasn’t limited to perimeter play; the Fever were thoroughly outmatched in the paint as well.

While Fever managed to output 12 assists and 32 rebounds, Mercury outshone them by a mile. The home team managed 25 assists and 44 rebounds, 31 of which were defensive rebounds. The Fever couldn’t find the bottom of the net, nor could they secure second-chance opportunities under the rim. Amid the struggles, fans couldn’t help but think of missing star Caitlin Clark.

Once touted by some as a team that could thrive without her, the Fever’s back-to-back losses have silenced that notion. Unfortunately, Clark’s return is still uncertain. “No updates on Caitlin at this point.” These were the words of Stephanie White in her pregame media availability before the Indiana Fever’s clash against the Phoenix Mercury.

If her absence continues, Indiana could be without Clark for a tenth consecutive game. Their next test comes at home on August 9, when they face Angel Reese and her squad.