WNBA head coach reveals ‘one best thing’ about Caitlin Clark’s game

The Minnesota Lynx secured a spot in the playoffs on Saturday night with a 90-80 win over the Indiana Fever.

It wasn’t for lack of trying.

Fever star Caitlin Clark led the way with 23 points and eight assists, along with seven turnovers. Kelsey Mitchell added 21 points, while Aliyah Boston had 10 points and 15 rebounds. But it wasn’t enough to stop Napheesa Collier’s 31 points and Kayla McBride’s 19 points.

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Caitlin Clark of Indiana Fever dribbles the ball against Minnesota Lynx at Target Center on August 24, 2024 in Minneapolis. (Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)

But all eyes, as always, were on Clark — even more so because Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve had been critical of the 2024 No. 1 overall draft pick. Reeve, who led Team USA to a gold medal at the Paris Olympics, had plenty of praise for Clark after the game.

“We haven’t seen a lot of them,” Reeve said, via the Indy Star. “I’ll tell you that. But what I saw when the season started and when I saw her in college, I said, ‘The best thing she does that young players don’t do is she plays at an incredible pace.’

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Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark reacts after a three-pointer at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on August 16, 2024 in Indianapolis. (Justin Casterline/Getty Images)

“And tempo can take you a long way, and that’s very valuable. Tempo and stride are her two biggest assets. I know the sexy part is probably the logo three, but the tempo and stride are what make her exceptional in my eyes.”

Reeve was critical of questions about Clark’s absence from Team USA’s roster, at one point admitting she didn’t care much about how the budding superstar’s popularity would impact attendance at Target Center.

The Lynx retired Maya Moore’s jersey on Saturday. Reeve joked that she wished she had both Clark and Moore on her team.

But she’ll likely settle for the team she has now, 22-8. Minnesota is on a six-game winning streak and is just three games behind league leaders New York Liberty for first place.

Former Minnesota Lynx player Maya Moore listens to her former coach, Cheryl Reeve, during a uniform awarding ceremony following the game against the Indiana Fever at Target Center on Aug. 24, 2024 in Minneapolis. (Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)

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Liberty, Lynx and Connecticut Sun have all secured a spot in the playoffs. The top eight teams make the playoffs. Indiana is currently in seventh place.

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