Caitlin Clark might be the best shooter in the league, but that does not really make a difference if she is not on the court.

Barclays Center saw the Indiana Fever's 12-point lead at halftime evaporate as hosts New York Liberty added a stunning 83-75 comeback victory in their season, in large part due to foul trouble on Caitlin Clark.

Clark picked up her fifth foul with 6:45 left in the fourth quarter while the Fever were up three points. She had to go to the bench forcefully as the Liberty rallied late to steal the victory at home.

"There was a couple that were just dumb tonight and that's on me," Clark said postgame.

Clark finished the game with 10 points on 4-of-14 shooting, 7 rebounds, and 9 assists. She was a +3 in the eight-point loss, but it was not the greatest offensive display compared to her usual standards.

Clark continues the trend of having at least four fouls in four games. The Fever star defended herself by saying that since she is guarding the ball more, she is more prone to getting into foul trouble.

Head coach Stephanie White also believed that the team could have done a much better job in supporting Clark, so that she would not have to be put on the sidelines during crunch time.

"We didn't help her out, we didn't plug the gaps. Some of those are rotation based, but some of them our team defensive positioning has to be better. And that can take some pressure off C[lark] if we're in the right spots," White said.

Apart from the free-throw disparity, the Fever could have still won the game if they had not missed so many opportunities at the rim. White counted 11 layups that the Fever did not capitalize on.

While Clark's scoring struggles and foul trouble will be the talk of the town, the Fever had a bright spot in a tough game in the form of Monique Billings.

Monique Billings Gains Much-Needed Momentum

Billings joined the Fever in this year's free agency after playing alongside Caitlin Clark in Team USAB during the FIBA World Cup qualifiers, with White as the assistant coach.

The 30-year-old had a rough start to the season, but has bounced back in some way against a championship contender side in the Liberty.

Billings had 15 points and 8 rebounds in 35 minutes of action, knocking down six of her seven shots.

The Fever will hope that the veteran forward continues this form throughout the Commissioner's Cup, so that she can provide a helping hand to Clark, Kelsey Mitchell, and Aliyah Boston at all times.

Now, even in wins and losses (5-5), the Fever will continue its defence of the Commissioner's Cup on Monday night against the Washington Mystics.

So, do you think the Indiana Fever can turn things around for their season soon enough? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Joy Bassy

Edited by

Joy Bassy