INDIANAPOLIS, IN - JULY 18: Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark 22 drives past New York Liberty guard Marine Fauthoux 4 in the first half of play during a WNBA, Basketball Damen, USA game between the New York Liberty and the Indiana Fever on July 18, 2026 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN. Photo by Jeffrey Brown/Icon Sportswire WNBA: JUL 18 New York Liberty at Indiana Fever EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon071826071
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - JULY 18: Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark 22 drives past New York Liberty guard Marine Fauthoux 4 in the first half of play during a WNBA, Basketball Damen, USA game between the New York Liberty and the Indiana Fever on July 18, 2026 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN. Photo by Jeffrey Brown/Icon Sportswire WNBA: JUL 18 New York Liberty at Indiana Fever EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon071826071
Caitlin Clark is ready to stand up for herself. The WNBA star struggled with physicality earlier in her career but has now decided to embrace it. The revamped mentality was on full show against the Lynx.
After a costly loss against the Mystics, the Fever bounced back with a win against the Lynx. The Lynx defense tried to set her off, but Clark was in no mood to take a back seat.
“I think it's just absorbing contact. Like I like playing with contact," Clark said in the postgame conference. "And um I think there's a lot of different ways to manipulate that. And I think it's just the reality of the way I get guarded and just use it to your advantage.”
USA Caitlin Clark and Italy Francesca Pasa fight for the ball during a game between The United States and Italy in the group phase at the FIBA Women s Basketball World Cup, on Sunday 6 September 2026, in Berlin, Germany. The FIBA Women s Basketball World Cup takes place in Berlin from 4 to 23 September 2026. VIRGINIExLEFOUR PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxBELxFRAxNEDxLUX x185482511x
USA Caitlin Clark and Italy Francesca Pasa fight for the ball during a game between The United States and Italy in the group phase at the FIBA Women s Basketball World Cup, on Sunday 6 September 2026, in Berlin, Germany. The FIBA Women s Basketball World Cup takes place in Berlin from 4 to 23 September 2026. VIRGINIExLEFOUR PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxBELxFRAxNEDxLUX x185482511x
Since her WNBA debut, opponents have targeted Clark with flagrant fouls to blunt her impact.
Now, Clark is fighting back, attacking the rim and absorbing contact rather than shying away. In fact, she is averaging a career-low 7.9 3-point attempts and a career-high 6.4 free-throw attempts.
"It's helped me learn defensively too, like how I can be a little bit more physical and how I can use my hands a little bit better," Clark added in the postgame conference. "I like playing against more aggressive defense and more handsy defense, to be honest."
Against the tight Lynx defense, she did the same. Clark scored a game-high 27 points and also had seven rebounds, nine assists, and four steals. She took the mantle as the Fever secured the 93-77 win.
With the playoffs approaching, Clark can expect a greater level of physicality. However, she’s more used to it now, giving opponents more to think about.
In fact, the Fever guard made WNBA history following her game against the Lynx.
Historic efficiency: Clark joins Curry in rare statistical company
Clark led the Fever to a blowout victory against the Lynx. She again shone individually and etched herself in WNBA history.
Per HITC’s James Shearman, Clark has become the first WNBA player to average more than 30 points and 10 assists over a five-game span.
Only Steph Curry has managed to achieve this in the NBA. On top of the scoring, the Fever guard’s shooting efficiency has also been top-notch.
Clark is shooting 52.2% from the field and 44.9% from beyond the three-point line. Moreover, she's converting more than 92% of her free-throw attempts.
With another game remaining in the regular season, again against the Lynx, Clark will hope to continue her historic run of form as the playoffs come close.
Written by
Avishek Sarkar