Christie Sides’ rather cryptic message to Fever’s Caitlin Clark as she was about to be suspended

Christie Sides (Fever head coach) with deal with it shades and Caitlin Clark (Fever) with laser eyes

Indiana Fever rookie guard Caitlin Clark plays the game of basketball with a lot of passion. Sometimes, though, it can work against her, as evidenced by the technical foul he picked up after hitting the base of the hoop during Sunday’s Fever game versus the Seattle Storm at home.

The technical foul is Clark’s fifth of the season, which also means she is two technical fouls away from getting slapped with an automatic one-game from the WNBA.

Following the Fever’s 92-75 win over the Storm, Indiana head coach Christie Sides said that she plans to have a talk with Clark about her predicament with technical fouls.

“Yeah, no. We’re gonna have a conversation (smiling),” Sides told reporters (h/t Matthew Byrne of ClutchPoints).

“I don’t need Caitlin to sit out a game… she’s just a fiery competitor. I mean, I don’t want to take that away from her.”

Fever star Caitlin Clark has to be careful with her technical fouls

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) reacts as she misses a three-point field goal during the second half of a game against the Seattle Storm on Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The Fever defeated the Storm 92-75.

Christine Tannous/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK

There are only 12 games left on the schedule of the Fever in the 2024 WNBA regular season. Hopefully for Clark and the Fever, the super rookie will be able to keep her emotions in check enough to avoid getting penalized by a suspension. Every game matters for Indiana that is still in a precarious spot despite its recent success.The Fever have a 13-15 record after starting the second half of the season with two wins in a row. Before their victory over the Storm, Clark and company defeated the Phoenix Mercury at home last Friday, 98-89.

Outside of her technical foul, Clark was nothing but exceptional on the court in the Storm game. The former Iowa Hawkeyes sharpshooter went off for 23 points on 9/19 shooting from the field against Seattle. She also added nine assists, five rebounds, a steal, and two blocks in 36 minutes. And thanks to all those dimes, Clark managed to break the WNBA’s single-season rookie record that was set by Ticha Penicheiro way back in the 1998 season.

That has been the type of all-around proficiency Indiana has come to expect from the first-year pro. A suspension at this point of the season for Clark could be brutal for the Fever, given the large void that she would leave under that type of circumstance. She’s simply irreplaceable.

Thus far in the 2024 WNBA campaign, Clark, selected first overall by the Fever at this year’s WNBA draft, is averaging 17.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, and a league-leading 8.3 assists through 28 games.

Clark and the Fever, who have won four of their last five games dating back to the pre-All-Star/Olympic break, will next face off against the Minnesota Lynx this Saturday at Target Center.