Honestly this might have cost them the game. That was a perfect "hold onto the ball, establish some kind of offense" kind of moment, and I was stunned when she went up for it off-balance in such a critical moment.
Also behind that, Caitlin gave up on the play after the pass, so there would have been no chance for a kickback even if Wallace was looking for it — although there were still 8 seconds left. It was just kind of a mess.
I think she thought the contact was going to get her a foul call and out of habit she tried to get the shot up when she felt the "foul" so that she would get shots even though she would have anyway. I don't really think it was a foul but that's what it looked to me like her reasoning might have been.
“Expecting” any call in the W is silly. It’s all random. The refs are atrocious across the league. If the NBA wants the W to work they need referees that know what they’re doing.
Wallace was clearly supposed to set a pick for CC but decided to run to the three point line herself. Boston gave her that fuck no look and took the three herself.
I saw that too. To be a fly on the wall in that locker room. There was absolutely no reason why they should have lost that game. Got to give Reese her flowers though. There was definitely fuckery a foot tonight.
One of the things that drives me insane in coaching, going away from something before it stops working.
Would Chicago have eventually locked it down? Maybe, but make them fucking prove it before you give up on it.
Yeah, that's the most infuriating part of all this. Reese was balling out, and Cardoso was catching some good looks too, but between both of them they couldn't stop the pick and roll.
So why fucking stop running it? Let them eat theirs and stop what you can as you figure it out, but we've seen for 3 quarters this was working.
And then the game is lost because you're a terrible coach and Smith can't keep her mouth shut when she's not the one putting up.
Actually the Fever were still running the offense through Boston at the end of the 3rd when Chicago went on their 7-0 run and at the start of the 4th. But they had gone to the same well too many times and it was starting to become predictable, Cardoso and Reese (and later Reese and Harrison) were doubling up on Boston when she touched the ball and making life hard for her.
When the Fever adjusted and went back to looking for perimeter shooting they actually increased their lead significantly early in the 4th quarter. They were up by 12 with 6 minutes left in the game.
The main problem was that after things started to fall apart they never adjusted back.
The second problem is that Caitlin barely moves when she does not have the ball. She’s such a good shooter that she could be extremely dangerous even when she’s not handling the ball (a la Curry). But if you watch, she rarely works for a shot or tries to lose her defender when she’s off-ball.
I don’t know it that’s a factor of trying to conserve her gas tank (since she’s playing nearly the entire game), if the coach is mandating it, or if it’s just a personal decision.. But if she’s not going to work for the open look, chances are that a less-qualified shooter is going to take the shot.
I think all of this has to do with Sides. Clark did work to get open at Iowa relentlessly. SIdes should have effectively reengineered the Fever offense by this point in the season. Every time it seems like there's flashes of things coming together, what immediately comes next is astounding.
It'd really be interesting to know if it was a personal choice that led to CC not taking shots in the back half of the 4th quarter or if it's what's happening in the locker room. It was just so awful to watch. I'm gonna watch the 4th again today at some point.
I have been wondering whether Jenny Boucek would even be interested in being CC’s head coach for the visibility or if she wants to keep pursuing NBA dreams.
Butttttttt…Jenny instituting the Pacers run and gun ,free-flowing offense with CC playing the role of Tyrese Haliburton is my dream for the Fever. I know her past HC record isn’t ideal, but she has been so great with the young Pacers roster and they had the NBA’s top scoring offense last season. I feel like that offensive blueprint is ideal for building around the CC/Boston pick and roll.
Her game plan on both ends in the 4th was hideous. Making zero adjustments on Reese when it was clear she was going to keep taking Smith to school was awful.
She doesn’t seem to take timeouts in spots where Becky Hammond does (the other team I watch 100% of their games). Becky nips problems in the bud and Sides seems to let the problems get out of hand before she calls a time out.
If anything you think it would be the opposite because the Aces probably have the talent to work though and correct issues on their own but she calls a time out immediately if they are fucking up.
She gets that from Pop. Back in their prime core era where they were winning with their roster of vets, Pop would call a TO after the first possession of a game if he saw something he didn’t like.
Thx for the explanation on the probable reasoning. It’s interesting bc it seemed odd to me that she has experienced players, but still turbo calls time outs when they have a miscommunication or two on the floor even when up a bunch.
Hammon is one of the best coaches across the sport. I have my doubts about Sides, but “coaches not as good as Becky Hammon” is hardly an exclusive group.
Coach Sides moving away from an offensive strategy that Chicago was having trouble defending is wild.
I really have no explanation for what she possibly could've been thinking other than she was trying to lose. Big respect to Clark for standing up for her teammates.
Indiana ownership really needs to start looking at replacing her if she's going to continue making bad play calls that are tantamount to self-sabotage.
*Edit: Grammar*
It would have to come from ownership. Lin Dunn is on record recently as saying she believes coaches can "grow into the role", which is a batshit thing to want/believe when you have two #1 picks on your team.
You get a head coaching role because you've already grown into it. Sure, you'll learn things once you're the head coach that you didn't before but her mistakes are so basic.
Even during our 4 wins on the bounce, Sides was bad especially in our Atlanta and Washington home wins. If you’ve watched those games fully, you know what I mean. We’ve massively benefited from having at least one opposition starter out (in most win, it’s 2 starters out). Our offensive and defensive schemes will not cut it against any Top 6 team.
What I saw today was really bad, inexcusable coaching. Just glad it was on national TV for everyone to see. I think if Sides is fired, Lin Dunn is also gone too. Lin has been very bad in every aspect as a GM except picking the obvious no 1 picks.
Why did she leave Smith in there? She was playing with her ego at the end and we all knew it was going to end bad. They should have put Samuelson in for a bit to give smith a break. Reece was winning that match up.
Smith and Mitchell decided to take those last few minutes into their own hands and cut Caitlin out of the equation. It didn’t work. They need to pass the ball and play the offense.
When CC is in control of the flow, everyone wins.
Both NaLyssa and KLS were inconsistent today and speed-wise they are about the same (slower than Reese). I don’t think it would have changed much with KLS taking more minutes. We needed Temi today.
Which is crazy because even through that, imo Clark through last 7 games has played like a star.
17.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, 7.0 assists with 1.9 steals & 0.7 blocks on 47.5/44.4/87.5 splits.
Btw that's on 66.8% TS over those 7 games as well, with Fever being 5-2 in those games.
I'd say that's nearly All-WNBA calibre performances.
To be fair, coaching a unicorn is difficult. I've always admired Coach Bluder for letting Caitlin be Caitlin (and still coaching a real team)... I doubt that would have been the case if CC had gone to UConn or Notre Dame (or LSU or South Carolina).
NOTE: I am NOT someone suggesting that the Fever hire Bluder... but, man, were she and CC good for each other at the college level.
It is interesting that someone said that CC is playing like Paige Buckers. It kind of seems like she is not getting the green light like she did at Iowa.
> It kind of seems like she is not getting the green light like she did at Iowa.
I think she took 11 shots tonight and someone said she hasn't taken more than 15 all season. CC is definitely hesitating on some shots and even passing the ball when she's wide open. Sides is definitely telling her not to shoot for some reason.
You see the hesitation as well because her instinct says let it fly. She didn't become who she was playing like Paige. She became who she was being herself.
That first game with the mystics she looked like her old self. She got the ball and left it fly immediately as she was moving sideways in the air and she has her best game and hit 7 threes I think? Needs to play like that every night.
Also, the fever are choosing to not maximize Caitlin Clark’s either biggest, or second biggest strength which is her ability to throw full court dimes.
They’re choosing to go to a half court offense by jogging back on to offense. Clark should be worth 3 assists per game just because the opponents put their head down after missing a shot and the fever beat them.
I don’t think Nalyssa is wired to sprint down on every possession but she’s an incredibly good finisher in traffic off the catch. She has top tier body control and even if her sprint speed is mediocre, she should be a nightmare at 6’4 for opponents to have to keep up with.
It depends on what we mean by "green light". Coming down and jacking up a 26ft long ball every other possession will no fly in the WNBA. They would get blown out very, very quickly if those shots arent falling.
To me the issue is less about Clark getting the "green light" and more about the offense their coach has implemented. No need for a greenlight when there is a solid and trusted gameplan in place. That can be true with or without Clark being the focal point.
Fair. I don’t actually think it is bad that CC has to alter her game. It seems like Clark and AB are both genuinely trying to run the offense. It seems like others on the team just get the ball and try to make a play regardless if that is the best option. So do those players get a “green light” but not CC? I think that is where I am confused.
> Coach Bluder could coach anyone.
I asked in a different thread what made Bluder so good. They said her greatest strength was looking at her players and knowing how to build a team around them. When CC came she built the entire team around CC's playstyle and it worked. Before CC she would build the team around other people's playstyle.
That's why she would be a good coach in the pros. She doesn't overthink what just works. Plus, she has a way better offensive mind than Sides. She was very good at making sure, while everyone had their roles, if they executed them they would shine together. That's why everyone loved Kate, Gabiie, Mollie, Hannah, Syd etc.
I think Boston is on the same page as Caitlin now and I think KM is super close too. It's the 4 and 3 that are the issues. Once Temi is back, 4 is solved.
She truly is a great coach and great person.
She found success multiple times at Iowa and really built up some players. She consistently adjusted to the league. Now, she's ready to enjoy life. I wish more coaches would retire and smell the roses.
Bluder + CC was meant to be. When she recruited CC, she knew CC was going to be a star and will help them to get to the final four. Bluder had a vision and made sure everyone is on the same page. CC got the green light and she was surrounded by a decent supporting cast who knows their roles and no egos. That whole team adores Caitlin.
Fever, on the other hand, have like at least 3 people fighting for that best player position every game and most of the time it diminishes the cohesiveness of the team plus a coach who has clear favorites and old school gameplays.
Mark Jackson was drawing up shit with Curry in the post before he got fired. Also wouldn’t really let him shoot and tried turning him into a traditional point guard
difference was that mark jackson at the time had monta ellis who was averaging 25pts at that point in his career.
the thing with sides is quite abit worse....
I think the crucial step, after this season, even if they make the playoffs, is to purge the locker room of ego and the types of players that are square pegs trying to fit into round holes. It's also important to part ways with Sides, who appears to be out of her depth.
Smith, Wheeler, Wallace, and Mitchell should not be re-signed and/or should be released or traded.
Keep Boston and Clark. Everyone else can be replaced. These two are the stars, and their potential should be fully utilized. The offense should revolve around them, not around Smith, Mitchell, Wallace, or Wheeler. What Sides is doing now is like having prime Shaq and Curry on your team and limiting their impact to cater to players like David West and Antoine Walker.
Bring in players who are comfortable being role players alongside them, like Alysha Clark or Kate Martin in LV. Players who understand their role, know their teammates, and act accordingly.
Trading away good players isn't really a winning strategy. Mitchell is a great 2 guard clark should be happy to have her, i wouldn't get rid of her. One of the fastest players in the league and a 3 level scorer, her positives outweigh her negatives. As a sky fan (after my aces and sun), trust me you will miss that scoring ability lol.
And you talking about AC and kate, but kp, jackie, and chelsea are also on that team with a'ja. You need people who have the ability to drop 25. I understand what you're trying to say, but kelsey mitchell is not the problem with this team. You're not going to do anything with caitlin, AB, and role players, that's just iowa all over again with AB instead of hannah except you're facing much better competition.
You're also going to be in the lottery for at least 2 more drafts, you're going to be drafting star players and they all have ego's. Gotta figure out how to manage people, that's like at minimum 60% of being a good coach is managing personalities.
Purging ego is a coaching issue rather than a personnel issue.
If multiple players are having ego issues that are disruptive to the team, it's a sign that the coach has lost the locker room.
I think it's more about Sides' inexperience and subsequent incompetence as a head coach. Last year was her first as a head coach and the Fever were the worst team in the league. Now she has the benefit of Boston and Clark in consecutive years and she's can't manage to win under pressure because she doesn't know how to utilize her talent.
The Fever gave up a 23-4 run and Sides' reaction was basically to change nothing.
Sides has no chops as a head coach and has demonstrated that she doesn't know how to optimize a generational talent like Caitlin Clark in the clutch. This is coaching failure on a base level that Indiana cannot tolerate because if Caitlin get frustrated, she'll just go somewhere else that is more committed to winning.
Mitchell is honestly a solid option to keep. I’d want her to start passing more, but she’s a valuable asset if used well. She needs to drill handling those quick passes from Clark and finishing to the rim.
Smith is so hot and cold at this point she’s feeling unreliable. I like her when she’s on, but when she’s not…it’s not pretty. I want to like her, but she’s making it tough at times.
Wallace and Wheeler don’t make any sense in an offense built around the ABCC connection, and they aren’t consistent enough to be worth integrating. Find a backup point that knows how to share the ball better.
Temi was looking good early, so probably keep her if that continues when she’s back. And then give the bench some actual shots to play with the core group and see who vibes. Build around that.
I would argue that Chicago has a similar issue it’s just not as talked about.
The bigs is Chicago are solid but they have guards that will shoot first before feeding the post, even though none of them are threats from the 3 point line (which is why they are often open).
I think a lot of players and coaches did not expect for this rookie class to make such as impact and to have to fit to their game. But we are gonna see some heavy adjustments by next year for sure.
Finding good PG in WNBA is turbo hard, there is reason most Coaches get combo guards or VET SG and move them to PG, as of right now we have 3 players like that in top 7 teams , who where SG moved to PG.
To fix the issue around Fever roster is much easier, because you have the hard part, actual big who can play both sides ,and PG, you need 3&D , mobile big and backup for center +exp vet/combo or pg to lead the bench and use in custom plays to give cc rest or when CC demands a lot of attention to have some one who can also both create but shoot the 3 when double team comes for cc & boston.
For example we can get Vnloo on cheap contract as backup and PG for bench as well as just some one to fake handoff to cc and then give her to ball to create or shoot 3 her self.
We can get experianced 3&D guard from Mercury if they blow it up after injuries this season or Conn since they are gonna have trouble keeping everyone as well.
We can sign stretch 5 Dolson to play boston at the 4 or rest her , and this way have a big that can shoot the 3 as well, while having more size inside + winning mentality vet , she offers unique limited role as stretch 5 outside her and JJ there arent many in the game ( Brink but injured and cant be moved).
You can also probably get some of the Lynx players on limited minutes and offer em same spot+chance to fight for a starting spot, as they are 3&D heavy as well.
If Lexie hull goes over-sea and develop her 3 point game she could be good bench piece, because her numbers in NCAAW where good , but WNBA 3 point is abysmal but she has the shot its matter of confidence+good coaching and experience i feel like. (many players have done jumps to match NCAAW numbers from low mid 20% shooting, from Jackie Young to Napheesa Collier etc.
We also need actual good coach to see how Celeste Taylor is playing, from what i have seen in her limited minutes she looks very good on defense, obviously her stretch ability to shoot the 3 is probably suspect but for developing bench player it might work on minimum contract,again we need actual coach who plays people not favorites like Wallace and Wheeler.
Because most of the PG in NCAAW usually are people who are short or very 'one dimensional' and have very hard time to transition into more physical/faster league, passes that you did make in NCAAW are no longer there.
ALso you need to play very good defense to deserve minutes in WNBA, and if you are small and dont know schemes or get picked/target by enemy offense 24/7 via PnR and scored on 24/7 you wont see the floor.
For example even this year with Sheldon who is defensive guard dosn't play much minutes , she makes mistakes and dont see the floor much.
there are main few main bullet-points and examples.
* Very few teams will 'waste' 2-3 years developing and actual PG and give her enough minutes to be good unless its a top 1-3 draft pick generational talent & +good coach+good FO +vets.(draft teams usually have very weak/bad coaches and vets no one else want not exactly best people to learn from )
* Physicality and Speed are very different we have seen number of PG struggle get waived go to over-sea play for few years and come back better.
* Defense first >play making second and you need to have some ability to stretch the floor so people don't leave you open, its a very hard skill set to have as most are either very offensive/defensive , very play-making focused ( but dont have good 3 pointer or ability to create own shot/drive to the hole and get respected, so it open up a kick game etc)
* In the history of WNBA there have been only 2-3 names that have transition from NCAAW straight to WNBA without problem and adapt, best example of this is Sue Bird.
* Even some one like Chelsea Gray who very early on you could tell would be all-star PG needed 2 years to get going.
* Courtney Vandersloot was given a lot of minutes, and she didnt really put it together and go next level till 5-6 years in (from 2011 till 2016/// at the start of 2017 she become that next level player we know today)
* Skylar Diggins-Smith Also is like Sue Bird she adapted fast ,but still took her a season to get there.
* Lindsay Whalen is another example that didnt struggle much to adapt and was putting good numbers from the get-go and didn't look lost.
CC has been passing the ball a lot last couple games. When she passes these girls panick and fumble. They really need a third player to boston and clark who can take the pass and score.
I think CC had 11 shots tonight and someone said she hasn't shot for than 15 a game all season. For some reason she's not taking shots that she should and is instead passing when she's open. Sides has to be limiting her shots for some reason.
And that is why Sides will get canned at the end of the season of. It sooner.
On a brighter note, it took the Cavs about a year to figure out to put the ball in LeBron's hands all the damn time.
Luckily for ownership the blueprint is right there for how to build a team around CC since she plays pretty similar to Haliburton. Also they got Jenny Boucek as an assistant with the Pacers who has W head coaching experience along with her 7 years of NBA experience
Lol and what’s funny is that does not even matter whatsoever. Clark will never be just another player on her team however long she’s coaching. I’m sure someone has tried to break that to her. The ending of this game was some real big brain thinking from Sides too- I think i’d have been more comfortable with Caitlin or AB literally calling the play.
Instead, Christie called some backwards ass motion leaving the one person who surely could’ve hit a shot without an. No idea what to say there
was clear as day while watching sides wasn’t drawing up plays for caitlin to even attempt a shot which is ludicrous because she’s was the one running the show all game and they just go away from it for some bullshit after she made 2 3s to stop the bleeding..
I was *dumbfounded* to not see CC out there running around a screen to get the pass and a shot off. I have no idea either why the hell you wouldn’t put the ball in the hands of the best shooter on your team with that little time left. Everyone else on the Fever probably would agree too. It’s not like Caitlin hasn’t hit several buzzer beaters in big moments in even more packed houses.
I have no idea what she decided to call that last play that she ran, if it even was one.
It seemed like either the coach took her out of the sets they were running or the sky effectively removed her from the game. Tough to see her not have a chance to make an impact in this game though
Honestly sides has such a problem not favoring certain players…. IE ones she’s brought to Indiana with her. Starting people that shouldn’t be starters, continuing to play awful rotations bc she prefers certain players. I understand we don’t know everything that goes on at practice, but it’s tough to not notice. I think she’s out to make a point that it’s not Caitlin’s team. And they’re suffering bc of it. *** not saying it is just Caitlin’s team. But if she’s on fire, use her!
Oh we’ve seen it too many times. CC on point, fever go on a run. Sides decides to stick Cc in corner and let wheeler run point.. other team goes on a run. Like clockwork.
I think every blowout game when Fever started making a comeback Caitlin was running point. Handed the ball off to someone else for a "new look," Caitlin went in the corner, and the lead would balloon again.
They ran the 3rd quarter offense through Clark. Alternated going through Wheeler and Mitchell late in the 3rd & into the 4th. (Perhaps, not so coincidently, this came after Sides got upset with Clark for taking AND MAKING the back to back 30 footers in the 3rd).
I want to believe this, though it does feel odd to me how Caitlin isn’t really showing this in the post pressers. It seems like she’s covering for Sides and I don’t know why. The whole thing seem so off
Player not throwing their coach under the bus in post game interview is super normal.
You don’t want to become a head case coach killer, it’s just the sports thing to do, especially as an INSANELY scrutinized rookie. You never call your coach out in public, it’s a horrible look
> Caitlin isn’t really showing this in the post pressers
Caitlin has great PR training, and is generally a team player. CC going public against her coach will be the last thing that happens.
Heck, almost no athlete will publicly go against their coach.
I mean - that would make sense. They were dominating the game and then suddenly decided to not keep dominating it. It was the most awkward thing i’ve seen in a long time.
They definitely need to fire sides. WTF was up with giving Smith that possession in the last minute, and Clark never touched the ball? After Smith had spent the last 10 minutes of game time getting destroyed by Reese?
Maybe Smith wasn't supposed to do that. This was right after getting smoked by Reese. Once she had the ball in her hands in front of Reese, I knew she'd try to take it to the rim even if it was super forced and a bad shot. The pettiness is so predictable
What will it take to get rid of Sides. It’s just beyond obvious she’s in over her head. And what does Wallace have on her? She had some good plays tonight but is so inconsistent and purely unreliable when it counts and she drives me nuts. She needs to sit
Did you watch the game? They showed CC an arguing with Sides and looking pissed off. Doesn’t take rocket science to know what she was pissed about if you watched the game
If I could see how inept Sides was today then I can’t imagine how infuriating it was for an actual basketball savant like Clark. I have no idea how you go away from CC on back to back possessions with a minute left. Completely inexcusable
Idk this is an unprecedented rookie with a first time head coach. If it was an established coach in the league different story but I feel like I can guarantee if Clark starts complaining about her in media/to the front office then sides will be gone asap
So watching the game, I know it goes against the narrative but sides didn't mess up by not using the PnR more. Later in the game Chicago stopped it by having their guards fight through the screen and not trying to trap her.
Sides didn't find the right equation to get the game back under control. But seeing the reddit/Twitter analysis of it kinda bothers me, coaching is incredibly different. And usually the issue is a lot deeper than "why didn't you just keep doing X." It's exposing the lack of knowledge.
On one hand, sometimes you lose games and Reese clearly wasn’t losing to Indiana for the third time.
On the other hand, Sides hasn’t been a very good coach and more importantly, coaches who don’t have the confidence of their most prominent players don’t tend to last long in any professional sport.
Shoot. Also meant to say most importantly- this tweet has zero credibility and is probably made up. I’ve been a CC fan forever, but i’m a fan of the game of basketball just as much as one player, and the microscopic lens that leads to these tweets, which then leads to chaos: are pointless.
Christie Sides wasn’t a good coach last year. The hire in itself was random and odd. You don’t even have to bring 22 into this argument to prove your point, or tweet out some fake headline.
God, on one post people were praising Sides for good coaching and complaining about how haters were not patient at the start of the season and now Sides have figured things out. Now on this post, people are back to hating again LOL.
Early in the season I thought that Aliyah Boston may have forgotten how to play basketball with how poorly she was playing, but after watching more and more games I realized it's just because every single play she is drawn up to stand in the post right next Nalyssa. Considering that Caitlin only needs about 2 feet of Separation to get off an open shot I don't know why that's not the game plan.
This guy wasn’t there and has no idea what they were actually saying. Someone else said CC was saying that it was “too late” when Sides was trying to draw up a play.
One thing that I'll just say is there was a lot of things that could have gone differently this game from all players, not just Wallace or a coaching decision. For example,
- if Samuelson didn't rage and throw the ball and get that technical, the Sky wouldn't have gotten that extra point, and this would have gone into overtime.
- if some players didn't miss some crucial free throws
CC and AB destroyed the defense with their P&R at first three quarters. But what happened at 4th quarter. Why did Sides call went away from P&R? Any reason?
I'll not say here anything about terrible defense and double teams under the rim.
AB looked pissed off at Wallace after she drained that 3.
WTF was Wallace doing driving down with that circus shot layup
No reason for Wallace to be in the game over Samuelson or Hull. It's baffling
I heard commentary mention that too
panicking
Ok so I’m not the only one wondering what she was doing… it was a fun game to watch that’s for sure!
Honestly this might have cost them the game. That was a perfect "hold onto the ball, establish some kind of offense" kind of moment, and I was stunned when she went up for it off-balance in such a critical moment. Also behind that, Caitlin gave up on the play after the pass, so there would have been no chance for a kickback even if Wallace was looking for it — although there were still 8 seconds left. It was just kind of a mess.
I think she thought the contact was going to get her a foul call and out of habit she tried to get the shot up when she felt the "foul" so that she would get shots even though she would have anyway. I don't really think it was a foul but that's what it looked to me like her reasoning might have been.
I think the song "holding out for a hero" by Bonnie Tyler started playing in her head as she dribbled towards the rim
“Expecting” any call in the W is silly. It’s all random. The refs are atrocious across the league. If the NBA wants the W to work they need referees that know what they’re doing.
That's because she messed up the play so AB had to chuck it.
Wallace was clearly supposed to set a pick for CC but decided to run to the three point line herself. Boston gave her that fuck no look and took the three herself.
I saw that too. To be a fly on the wall in that locker room. There was absolutely no reason why they should have lost that game. Got to give Reese her flowers though. There was definitely fuckery a foot tonight.
have never and will never switch up no matter what this team’s record winds up being— there has to be a better coach for the fever than sides.
I just don't understand stopping something that has worked all game. Maybe if the Sky has shut down the action, but that wasn't happening
she is truly, *truly* baffling.
lmao, I read that in a British accent
it’s probably funnier in my natural accent lol
One of the things that drives me insane in coaching, going away from something before it stops working. Would Chicago have eventually locked it down? Maybe, but make them fucking prove it before you give up on it.
Yeah, make them stop you, don’t volunteer to do it:
JJ and Bron talked about this being one of their biggest pet peeves in their podcast lol
The Nuggets won a championship by spamming the Murray-Jokic pick-and-roll. But Christie Sides is playing 4D chess.
Yeah, that's the most infuriating part of all this. Reese was balling out, and Cardoso was catching some good looks too, but between both of them they couldn't stop the pick and roll. So why fucking stop running it? Let them eat theirs and stop what you can as you figure it out, but we've seen for 3 quarters this was working. And then the game is lost because you're a terrible coach and Smith can't keep her mouth shut when she's not the one putting up.
Actually the Fever were still running the offense through Boston at the end of the 3rd when Chicago went on their 7-0 run and at the start of the 4th. But they had gone to the same well too many times and it was starting to become predictable, Cardoso and Reese (and later Reese and Harrison) were doubling up on Boston when she touched the ball and making life hard for her. When the Fever adjusted and went back to looking for perimeter shooting they actually increased their lead significantly early in the 4th quarter. They were up by 12 with 6 minutes left in the game. The main problem was that after things started to fall apart they never adjusted back. The second problem is that Caitlin barely moves when she does not have the ball. She’s such a good shooter that she could be extremely dangerous even when she’s not handling the ball (a la Curry). But if you watch, she rarely works for a shot or tries to lose her defender when she’s off-ball. I don’t know it that’s a factor of trying to conserve her gas tank (since she’s playing nearly the entire game), if the coach is mandating it, or if it’s just a personal decision.. But if she’s not going to work for the open look, chances are that a less-qualified shooter is going to take the shot.
I think all of this has to do with Sides. Clark did work to get open at Iowa relentlessly. SIdes should have effectively reengineered the Fever offense by this point in the season. Every time it seems like there's flashes of things coming together, what immediately comes next is astounding. It'd really be interesting to know if it was a personal choice that led to CC not taking shots in the back half of the 4th quarter or if it's what's happening in the locker room. It was just so awful to watch. I'm gonna watch the 4th again today at some point.
“Pass is intercepted by Malcolm Butler at the goal line”
*cries in Seahawk*
Yikes - I didn't expect to catch strays right through my soul in this conversation.
HOW DARE YOU BRING THAT MEMORY BACK INTO MY CONSCIOUSNESS!
I have been wondering whether Jenny Boucek would even be interested in being CC’s head coach for the visibility or if she wants to keep pursuing NBA dreams. Butttttttt…Jenny instituting the Pacers run and gun ,free-flowing offense with CC playing the role of Tyrese Haliburton is my dream for the Fever. I know her past HC record isn’t ideal, but she has been so great with the young Pacers roster and they had the NBA’s top scoring offense last season. I feel like that offensive blueprint is ideal for building around the CC/Boston pick and roll.
She would be a perfect offensive coach for the Fever. Genuinely innovate with the stuff she draws up
Gotta get your lights out shooter some looks. There have been playoff games where Kerr would have 3 screens set for Steph to get an open look.
The classic “let’s stop doing this thing that’s working really well and surprise them with something else!”
She’s going to end up being the WNBAs Mark Jackson.
Her game plan on both ends in the 4th was hideous. Making zero adjustments on Reese when it was clear she was going to keep taking Smith to school was awful.
She doesn’t seem to take timeouts in spots where Becky Hammond does (the other team I watch 100% of their games). Becky nips problems in the bud and Sides seems to let the problems get out of hand before she calls a time out. If anything you think it would be the opposite because the Aces probably have the talent to work though and correct issues on their own but she calls a time out immediately if they are fucking up.
She gets that from Pop. Back in their prime core era where they were winning with their roster of vets, Pop would call a TO after the first possession of a game if he saw something he didn’t like.
Thx for the explanation on the probable reasoning. It’s interesting bc it seemed odd to me that she has experienced players, but still turbo calls time outs when they have a miscommunication or two on the floor even when up a bunch.
Gotta take advantage of coachable moments when you’re a good coach and have coachable players.
Hammon is one of the best coaches across the sport. I have my doubts about Sides, but “coaches not as good as Becky Hammon” is hardly an exclusive group.
Coach Sides moving away from an offensive strategy that Chicago was having trouble defending is wild. I really have no explanation for what she possibly could've been thinking other than she was trying to lose. Big respect to Clark for standing up for her teammates. Indiana ownership really needs to start looking at replacing her if she's going to continue making bad play calls that are tantamount to self-sabotage. *Edit: Grammar*
It would have to come from ownership. Lin Dunn is on record recently as saying she believes coaches can "grow into the role", which is a batshit thing to want/believe when you have two #1 picks on your team.
For real. Becky Hammon didn’t ’grow into the role’ they got a star coach to go with their star picke
You get a head coaching role because you've already grown into it. Sure, you'll learn things once you're the head coach that you didn't before but her mistakes are so basic.
Yeah. It may also be time to replace Lin Dunn. She is in her late 70s and seems to have trouble hiring a coach.
Lol sucks for Caitlin getting stuck with a shit tier organization then
That’s what happens when you are the number one pick and go to the worst team. This is professional sports.
Even during our 4 wins on the bounce, Sides was bad especially in our Atlanta and Washington home wins. If you’ve watched those games fully, you know what I mean. We’ve massively benefited from having at least one opposition starter out (in most win, it’s 2 starters out). Our offensive and defensive schemes will not cut it against any Top 6 team. What I saw today was really bad, inexcusable coaching. Just glad it was on national TV for everyone to see. I think if Sides is fired, Lin Dunn is also gone too. Lin has been very bad in every aspect as a GM except picking the obvious no 1 picks.
Why did she leave Smith in there? She was playing with her ego at the end and we all knew it was going to end bad. They should have put Samuelson in for a bit to give smith a break. Reece was winning that match up. Smith and Mitchell decided to take those last few minutes into their own hands and cut Caitlin out of the equation. It didn’t work. They need to pass the ball and play the offense. When CC is in control of the flow, everyone wins.
Yup, NaLyssa was getting cooked all day by Reese. Doesn't matter if she was contesting or not, Angel had her number.
Another instance of bad decision making. Put Boston on Reese after the 1st half at the latest.
Both NaLyssa and KLS were inconsistent today and speed-wise they are about the same (slower than Reese). I don’t think it would have changed much with KLS taking more minutes. We needed Temi today.
Smith played horrible all night and she still have Smith the plays at the end.
I don't understand the logic in not letting your best player drive the offense down the stretch.
It’s one of the most bizarre things I’ve ever seen. It’s almost as though she doesn’t want to give CC the chance to turn things around.
The “too small” sign was so cringe. You knew that was going to end very badly
Smith: "too small" Reese: *and she took that Personally *
She realized the Wings/Mystics were pulling ahead in the Paige Bueckers bowl I guess.
Sides has been pretty clear, imo, that she’s going to make CC just another player on the team. Not special, not a star.
And CC/AB still ballin
This is SO minor but can we please start calling them ABCC? It rolls off the tongue so easy.
ABC Squared
ABC's.
Hilarious! I’ve been wondering why this isn’t a thing for weeks now! It’s so obvy
I am 100% pushing this from here on out.
Which is crazy because even through that, imo Clark through last 7 games has played like a star. 17.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, 7.0 assists with 1.9 steals & 0.7 blocks on 47.5/44.4/87.5 splits. Btw that's on 66.8% TS over those 7 games as well, with Fever being 5-2 in those games. I'd say that's nearly All-WNBA calibre performances.
To be fair, coaching a unicorn is difficult. I've always admired Coach Bluder for letting Caitlin be Caitlin (and still coaching a real team)... I doubt that would have been the case if CC had gone to UConn or Notre Dame (or LSU or South Carolina). NOTE: I am NOT someone suggesting that the Fever hire Bluder... but, man, were she and CC good for each other at the college level.
It is interesting that someone said that CC is playing like Paige Buckers. It kind of seems like she is not getting the green light like she did at Iowa.
> It kind of seems like she is not getting the green light like she did at Iowa. I think she took 11 shots tonight and someone said she hasn't taken more than 15 all season. CC is definitely hesitating on some shots and even passing the ball when she's wide open. Sides is definitely telling her not to shoot for some reason.
You see the hesitation as well because her instinct says let it fly. She didn't become who she was playing like Paige. She became who she was being herself.
Exactly, that's why she brought all these fans to the yard. Sides is sucking the joy out of CC.
That first game with the mystics she looked like her old self. She got the ball and left it fly immediately as she was moving sideways in the air and she has her best game and hit 7 threes I think? Needs to play like that every night.
Also, the fever are choosing to not maximize Caitlin Clark’s either biggest, or second biggest strength which is her ability to throw full court dimes. They’re choosing to go to a half court offense by jogging back on to offense. Clark should be worth 3 assists per game just because the opponents put their head down after missing a shot and the fever beat them. I don’t think Nalyssa is wired to sprint down on every possession but she’s an incredibly good finisher in traffic off the catch. She has top tier body control and even if her sprint speed is mediocre, she should be a nightmare at 6’4 for opponents to have to keep up with.
It depends on what we mean by "green light". Coming down and jacking up a 26ft long ball every other possession will no fly in the WNBA. They would get blown out very, very quickly if those shots arent falling. To me the issue is less about Clark getting the "green light" and more about the offense their coach has implemented. No need for a greenlight when there is a solid and trusted gameplan in place. That can be true with or without Clark being the focal point.
Fair. I don’t actually think it is bad that CC has to alter her game. It seems like Clark and AB are both genuinely trying to run the offense. It seems like others on the team just get the ball and try to make a play regardless if that is the best option. So do those players get a “green light” but not CC? I think that is where I am confused.
Caitlin Clark, welcome to the Mercury. Do we have the prefect offense for you.
That didn't happen in college either. She went with the rhythm of the game.
Solid and trusted game plan and Christie Sikes don’t go together!
What I saw of Iowa makes me think Coach Bluder could coach anyone. I really came to admire her.
> Coach Bluder could coach anyone. I asked in a different thread what made Bluder so good. They said her greatest strength was looking at her players and knowing how to build a team around them. When CC came she built the entire team around CC's playstyle and it worked. Before CC she would build the team around other people's playstyle.
That's why she would be a good coach in the pros. She doesn't overthink what just works. Plus, she has a way better offensive mind than Sides. She was very good at making sure, while everyone had their roles, if they executed them they would shine together. That's why everyone loved Kate, Gabiie, Mollie, Hannah, Syd etc. I think Boston is on the same page as Caitlin now and I think KM is super close too. It's the 4 and 3 that are the issues. Once Temi is back, 4 is solved.
She truly is a great coach and great person. She found success multiple times at Iowa and really built up some players. She consistently adjusted to the league. Now, she's ready to enjoy life. I wish more coaches would retire and smell the roses.
Bluder + CC was meant to be. When she recruited CC, she knew CC was going to be a star and will help them to get to the final four. Bluder had a vision and made sure everyone is on the same page. CC got the green light and she was surrounded by a decent supporting cast who knows their roles and no egos. That whole team adores Caitlin. Fever, on the other hand, have like at least 3 people fighting for that best player position every game and most of the time it diminishes the cohesiveness of the team plus a coach who has clear favorites and old school gameplays.
Imagine making Steph Curry just a regular player.. She should be fired for that nonsense.. lmao..
Mark Jackson was drawing up shit with Curry in the post before he got fired. Also wouldn’t really let him shoot and tried turning him into a traditional point guard
difference was that mark jackson at the time had monta ellis who was averaging 25pts at that point in his career. the thing with sides is quite abit worse....
Imagine it? We witnessed it with Mark Jackson as coach
Don't have to imagine it, we saw it with Keith Smart. Would bench Curry in favor of Acie Law if Curry tried taking pull up threes in transition.
Mark Jackson also said that one of their players was rooting against their own team.. a complete lie.. Dude was a whole ass clown.. lmao..
Acie Law IV what a throwback lol
Mark Jackson, "Having Klay, DLee, jarretJack, etc going one on one is just as good !!"
yea she has made that pretty clear
What was lin dunn thinking when she hired Sides to be the fever's HC
She didn't just hire her. She had to CONVINCE Sides to take the job because Sides didn't want it.
https://preview.redd.it/qomhwjgm0f8d1.jpeg?width=300&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=083f181b2ea81f835048e75fbea9764119efc27e Yikes
I think the crucial step, after this season, even if they make the playoffs, is to purge the locker room of ego and the types of players that are square pegs trying to fit into round holes. It's also important to part ways with Sides, who appears to be out of her depth. Smith, Wheeler, Wallace, and Mitchell should not be re-signed and/or should be released or traded. Keep Boston and Clark. Everyone else can be replaced. These two are the stars, and their potential should be fully utilized. The offense should revolve around them, not around Smith, Mitchell, Wallace, or Wheeler. What Sides is doing now is like having prime Shaq and Curry on your team and limiting their impact to cater to players like David West and Antoine Walker. Bring in players who are comfortable being role players alongside them, like Alysha Clark or Kate Martin in LV. Players who understand their role, know their teammates, and act accordingly.
Trading away good players isn't really a winning strategy. Mitchell is a great 2 guard clark should be happy to have her, i wouldn't get rid of her. One of the fastest players in the league and a 3 level scorer, her positives outweigh her negatives. As a sky fan (after my aces and sun), trust me you will miss that scoring ability lol. And you talking about AC and kate, but kp, jackie, and chelsea are also on that team with a'ja. You need people who have the ability to drop 25. I understand what you're trying to say, but kelsey mitchell is not the problem with this team. You're not going to do anything with caitlin, AB, and role players, that's just iowa all over again with AB instead of hannah except you're facing much better competition. You're also going to be in the lottery for at least 2 more drafts, you're going to be drafting star players and they all have ego's. Gotta figure out how to manage people, that's like at minimum 60% of being a good coach is managing personalities.
Purging ego is a coaching issue rather than a personnel issue. If multiple players are having ego issues that are disruptive to the team, it's a sign that the coach has lost the locker room.
I don't think they're mutually exclusive. It's a bit of both, as I elaborated on in my comment.
I think it's more about Sides' inexperience and subsequent incompetence as a head coach. Last year was her first as a head coach and the Fever were the worst team in the league. Now she has the benefit of Boston and Clark in consecutive years and she's can't manage to win under pressure because she doesn't know how to utilize her talent. The Fever gave up a 23-4 run and Sides' reaction was basically to change nothing. Sides has no chops as a head coach and has demonstrated that she doesn't know how to optimize a generational talent like Caitlin Clark in the clutch. This is coaching failure on a base level that Indiana cannot tolerate because if Caitlin get frustrated, she'll just go somewhere else that is more committed to winning.
> Keep Boston and Clark. Everyone else can be replaced. I think you have to keep Temi and if Mitchell learned to pass the ball then keep her too
Mitchell is honestly a solid option to keep. I’d want her to start passing more, but she’s a valuable asset if used well. She needs to drill handling those quick passes from Clark and finishing to the rim. Smith is so hot and cold at this point she’s feeling unreliable. I like her when she’s on, but when she’s not…it’s not pretty. I want to like her, but she’s making it tough at times. Wallace and Wheeler don’t make any sense in an offense built around the ABCC connection, and they aren’t consistent enough to be worth integrating. Find a backup point that knows how to share the ball better. Temi was looking good early, so probably keep her if that continues when she’s back. And then give the bench some actual shots to play with the core group and see who vibes. Build around that.
I wonder if Mitchell has bad vision. Some of those long passes are inexcusable misses.
Smith doesn't want to be in Indiana....it's clear from the things she posts online too *see her Instagram comments
I would argue that Chicago has a similar issue it’s just not as talked about. The bigs is Chicago are solid but they have guards that will shoot first before feeding the post, even though none of them are threats from the 3 point line (which is why they are often open). I think a lot of players and coaches did not expect for this rookie class to make such as impact and to have to fit to their game. But we are gonna see some heavy adjustments by next year for sure.
Finding good PG in WNBA is turbo hard, there is reason most Coaches get combo guards or VET SG and move them to PG, as of right now we have 3 players like that in top 7 teams , who where SG moved to PG. To fix the issue around Fever roster is much easier, because you have the hard part, actual big who can play both sides ,and PG, you need 3&D , mobile big and backup for center +exp vet/combo or pg to lead the bench and use in custom plays to give cc rest or when CC demands a lot of attention to have some one who can also both create but shoot the 3 when double team comes for cc & boston. For example we can get Vnloo on cheap contract as backup and PG for bench as well as just some one to fake handoff to cc and then give her to ball to create or shoot 3 her self. We can get experianced 3&D guard from Mercury if they blow it up after injuries this season or Conn since they are gonna have trouble keeping everyone as well. We can sign stretch 5 Dolson to play boston at the 4 or rest her , and this way have a big that can shoot the 3 as well, while having more size inside + winning mentality vet , she offers unique limited role as stretch 5 outside her and JJ there arent many in the game ( Brink but injured and cant be moved). You can also probably get some of the Lynx players on limited minutes and offer em same spot+chance to fight for a starting spot, as they are 3&D heavy as well. If Lexie hull goes over-sea and develop her 3 point game she could be good bench piece, because her numbers in NCAAW where good , but WNBA 3 point is abysmal but she has the shot its matter of confidence+good coaching and experience i feel like. (many players have done jumps to match NCAAW numbers from low mid 20% shooting, from Jackie Young to Napheesa Collier etc. We also need actual good coach to see how Celeste Taylor is playing, from what i have seen in her limited minutes she looks very good on defense, obviously her stretch ability to shoot the 3 is probably suspect but for developing bench player it might work on minimum contract,again we need actual coach who plays people not favorites like Wallace and Wheeler.
As someone who’s recently started watching, why is it so hard to find a good true pg in the wnba?
Because most of the PG in NCAAW usually are people who are short or very 'one dimensional' and have very hard time to transition into more physical/faster league, passes that you did make in NCAAW are no longer there. ALso you need to play very good defense to deserve minutes in WNBA, and if you are small and dont know schemes or get picked/target by enemy offense 24/7 via PnR and scored on 24/7 you wont see the floor. For example even this year with Sheldon who is defensive guard dosn't play much minutes , she makes mistakes and dont see the floor much. there are main few main bullet-points and examples. * Very few teams will 'waste' 2-3 years developing and actual PG and give her enough minutes to be good unless its a top 1-3 draft pick generational talent & +good coach+good FO +vets.(draft teams usually have very weak/bad coaches and vets no one else want not exactly best people to learn from ) * Physicality and Speed are very different we have seen number of PG struggle get waived go to over-sea play for few years and come back better. * Defense first >play making second and you need to have some ability to stretch the floor so people don't leave you open, its a very hard skill set to have as most are either very offensive/defensive , very play-making focused ( but dont have good 3 pointer or ability to create own shot/drive to the hole and get respected, so it open up a kick game etc) * In the history of WNBA there have been only 2-3 names that have transition from NCAAW straight to WNBA without problem and adapt, best example of this is Sue Bird. * Even some one like Chelsea Gray who very early on you could tell would be all-star PG needed 2 years to get going. * Courtney Vandersloot was given a lot of minutes, and she didnt really put it together and go next level till 5-6 years in (from 2011 till 2016/// at the start of 2017 she become that next level player we know today) * Skylar Diggins-Smith Also is like Sue Bird she adapted fast ,but still took her a season to get there. * Lindsay Whalen is another example that didnt struggle much to adapt and was putting good numbers from the get-go and didn't look lost.
CC has been passing the ball a lot last couple games. When she passes these girls panick and fumble. They really need a third player to boston and clark who can take the pass and score.
If true, Sides needs to be fired immediately.
Fire Sides ( such a good ring to it )
When the Fever ownership discusses a new coach, it'll be a "Fire-Sides chat."
I think CC had 11 shots tonight and someone said she hasn't shot for than 15 a game all season. For some reason she's not taking shots that she should and is instead passing when she's open. Sides has to be limiting her shots for some reason.
Real Larry “I don’t fucking care, you’re a rookie” Brown energy.
And that is why Sides will get canned at the end of the season of. It sooner. On a brighter note, it took the Cavs about a year to figure out to put the ball in LeBron's hands all the damn time.
I say they need to say screw it let us do what we do and win. She played ball back in 1999. Maybe let your superstar ball.
Sides will be gone. The ownership won’t tolerate it. Their star takes precedence
Luckily for ownership the blueprint is right there for how to build a team around CC since she plays pretty similar to Haliburton. Also they got Jenny Boucek as an assistant with the Pacers who has W head coaching experience along with her 7 years of NBA experience
That seems like a no brainer to move Boucek over to the Fever. Am I missing something?
Well among other things, she has a contract with the Pacers, not the Fever. It’s not exactly like moving Aliyah Boston over to PF from C.
Lol and what’s funny is that does not even matter whatsoever. Clark will never be just another player on her team however long she’s coaching. I’m sure someone has tried to break that to her. The ending of this game was some real big brain thinking from Sides too- I think i’d have been more comfortable with Caitlin or AB literally calling the play. Instead, Christie called some backwards ass motion leaving the one person who surely could’ve hit a shot without an. No idea what to say there
Are we surprised? No 😂
was clear as day while watching sides wasn’t drawing up plays for caitlin to even attempt a shot which is ludicrous because she’s was the one running the show all game and they just go away from it for some bullshit after she made 2 3s to stop the bleeding..
I was *dumbfounded* to not see CC out there running around a screen to get the pass and a shot off. I have no idea either why the hell you wouldn’t put the ball in the hands of the best shooter on your team with that little time left. Everyone else on the Fever probably would agree too. It’s not like Caitlin hasn’t hit several buzzer beaters in big moments in even more packed houses. I have no idea what she decided to call that last play that she ran, if it even was one.
https://preview.redd.it/qgkir1hbhe8d1.jpeg?width=1117&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7fd8e7e8049cac1cb44852d9d57de1367933ee87
So this was a premonition lmao
Caitlin looked really uninspired at the end of the game.
It seemed like either the coach took her out of the sets they were running or the sky effectively removed her from the game. Tough to see her not have a chance to make an impact in this game though
Honestly sides has such a problem not favoring certain players…. IE ones she’s brought to Indiana with her. Starting people that shouldn’t be starters, continuing to play awful rotations bc she prefers certain players. I understand we don’t know everything that goes on at practice, but it’s tough to not notice. I think she’s out to make a point that it’s not Caitlin’s team. And they’re suffering bc of it. *** not saying it is just Caitlin’s team. But if she’s on fire, use her!
Doesn't need to be her team but I think she should at least be the primary ball handler. That really unfortunate
It might just be me, but if they start losing the moment Sides stop using Clark, it's counterproductive to the point she's trying to make.
Oh we’ve seen it too many times. CC on point, fever go on a run. Sides decides to stick Cc in corner and let wheeler run point.. other team goes on a run. Like clockwork.
I think every blowout game when Fever started making a comeback Caitlin was running point. Handed the ball off to someone else for a "new look," Caitlin went in the corner, and the lead would balloon again.
Coach. https://x.com/xbodyxcrime/status/1805012329026703701?s=46&t=YuGbPevYCnYn59TJf24Fng
Tough I hope they figure it out they got a good chance at the 8th seed
Coach sides is not very good. Gotta feed the hot hand when needed and losing that lead without making any adjustments is crazy to me
They ran the 3rd quarter offense through Clark. Alternated going through Wheeler and Mitchell late in the 3rd & into the 4th. (Perhaps, not so coincidently, this came after Sides got upset with Clark for taking AND MAKING the back to back 30 footers in the 3rd).
I’m new to the WNBA so I don’t want to be that guy…but holy shit CC was an afterthought during the Fever’s biggest possession.
True, she needs a good coach to help address this. Sides ain't it.
the thing abt clark is she knows when something feels wrong and she will be curious abt it
I want to believe this, though it does feel odd to me how Caitlin isn’t really showing this in the post pressers. It seems like she’s covering for Sides and I don’t know why. The whole thing seem so off
Player not throwing their coach under the bus in post game interview is super normal. You don’t want to become a head case coach killer, it’s just the sports thing to do, especially as an INSANELY scrutinized rookie. You never call your coach out in public, it’s a horrible look
Especially one as media trained as Caitlin
> Caitlin isn’t really showing this in the post pressers Caitlin has great PR training, and is generally a team player. CC going public against her coach will be the last thing that happens. Heck, almost no athlete will publicly go against their coach.
Get Christie Sides outta there! Idk who would have won the game so I don’t agree with that part. However you have to keep going work that’s working.
I mean - that would make sense. They were dominating the game and then suddenly decided to not keep dominating it. It was the most awkward thing i’ve seen in a long time.
CC sees a fraud like most ppl do. She just got the up close viewing
Caitlin needs to be more involved. 11 shots?
They definitely need to fire sides. WTF was up with giving Smith that possession in the last minute, and Clark never touched the ball? After Smith had spent the last 10 minutes of game time getting destroyed by Reese?
Maybe Smith wasn't supposed to do that. This was right after getting smoked by Reese. Once she had the ball in her hands in front of Reese, I knew she'd try to take it to the rim even if it was super forced and a bad shot. The pettiness is so predictable
What will it take to get rid of Sides. It’s just beyond obvious she’s in over her head. And what does Wallace have on her? She had some good plays tonight but is so inconsistent and purely unreliable when it counts and she drives me nuts. She needs to sit
Who is this person? Are they a reliable source?
They're a Caitlin Clark [stan](https://x.com/PJocky82/status/1805001486482673863?t=gHnaUJaTUTKiB6_iNxMjEQ&s=19) lol
Yeah this reads like stanfic
Did you watch the game? They showed CC an arguing with Sides and looking pissed off. Doesn’t take rocket science to know what she was pissed about if you watched the game
She looked frustrated. But I didn’t see her arguing with Sides.
https://x.com/xbodyxcrime/status/1805012329026703701?s=46&t=YuGbPevYCnYn59TJf24Fng
This same interaction happens no less than 6 times a game. Hell I saw it with Carter and Witherspoon twice today
It seems like this is pretty normal between ultra competitive athletes and coaches. It could’ve just been a heated discussion
Sides is out after this season
I hate blaming the coach, but she does make questionable decisions.
If I could see how inept Sides was today then I can’t imagine how infuriating it was for an actual basketball savant like Clark. I have no idea how you go away from CC on back to back possessions with a minute left. Completely inexcusable
lol. If CC wasn't so nice I bet she would be gone already.
Gone? With a rookie contract? EDIT: NVM, I'm a doofus. LoL
Probably means the coach would be gone
No rookie has that much power, y’all live in the land of delusion
Idk this is an unprecedented rookie with a first time head coach. If it was an established coach in the league different story but I feel like I can guarantee if Clark starts complaining about her in media/to the front office then sides will be gone asap
Trying to tell anyone that listens the coaching is terrible on the Fever. They lack any sense on how to use CC and Boston effectively.
I was there and I can confirm this.
Is this person reputable in any way?
No I just went to his Twitter account, he’s just a CC stan I highly doubt he was at the game and the “arguing” wasn’t shown on tv
There was angles of them arguing during that last minute that made the ESPN cut
Yeah, I don't get it. Just keep spamming it if the opponent isn't making adjustments.
So watching the game, I know it goes against the narrative but sides didn't mess up by not using the PnR more. Later in the game Chicago stopped it by having their guards fight through the screen and not trying to trap her. Sides didn't find the right equation to get the game back under control. But seeing the reddit/Twitter analysis of it kinda bothers me, coaching is incredibly different. And usually the issue is a lot deeper than "why didn't you just keep doing X." It's exposing the lack of knowledge.
I saw that as well
On one hand, sometimes you lose games and Reese clearly wasn’t losing to Indiana for the third time. On the other hand, Sides hasn’t been a very good coach and more importantly, coaches who don’t have the confidence of their most prominent players don’t tend to last long in any professional sport.
Caitlin Clark's passing is unbelievably good.To bad no one on her team know how to catch !!@
Sides is just not good at in game adjustments.
At this point, CC's biggest ops is her own team lmao
This is not a reliable source.
We thank her here from Chicago.
Shoot. Also meant to say most importantly- this tweet has zero credibility and is probably made up. I’ve been a CC fan forever, but i’m a fan of the game of basketball just as much as one player, and the microscopic lens that leads to these tweets, which then leads to chaos: are pointless. Christie Sides wasn’t a good coach last year. The hire in itself was random and odd. You don’t even have to bring 22 into this argument to prove your point, or tweet out some fake headline.
Does Clark have a podcast partner?
God, on one post people were praising Sides for good coaching and complaining about how haters were not patient at the start of the season and now Sides have figured things out. Now on this post, people are back to hating again LOL.
The "Indiana would have won this game" was unnecessary lmao
They went on a 24-3 run and then decided toilet Smith go one on one vs Reese for the entire 4th quarter.
This loss is a 1000% on the coach
Early in the season I thought that Aliyah Boston may have forgotten how to play basketball with how poorly she was playing, but after watching more and more games I realized it's just because every single play she is drawn up to stand in the post right next Nalyssa. Considering that Caitlin only needs about 2 feet of Separation to get off an open shot I don't know why that's not the game plan.
This was a Christie Sides coaching meltdown. A slow meltdown, which Angel Reese took advantage of. Good for Reese; bad for Sides.
It seemed like the Sky adjusted to the pick & roll later in the game idk
Indiana just stopped attempting it for a reason only Sides knows
Who is the source?
Terrible coach.
Imagine Jerry Sloan telling Stockton and Malone to stop running the pick and roll.
This guy wasn’t there and has no idea what they were actually saying. Someone else said CC was saying that it was “too late” when Sides was trying to draw up a play.
So I wasn't crazy wondering why Catlin wasn't handling the ball and making decisions on the last possiesions
Sides is the WNBA's Darvin Ham. A Ham Sandwich with Sides is not a meal for success
One thing that I'll just say is there was a lot of things that could have gone differently this game from all players, not just Wallace or a coaching decision. For example, - if Samuelson didn't rage and throw the ball and get that technical, the Sky wouldn't have gotten that extra point, and this would have gone into overtime. - if some players didn't miss some crucial free throws
CC and AB destroyed the defense with their P&R at first three quarters. But what happened at 4th quarter. Why did Sides call went away from P&R? Any reason? I'll not say here anything about terrible defense and double teams under the rim.
Chicago did not win this game. Indiana gave it away