Caitlin Clark struggles in playoff debut as Indiana Fever is wiped out

Caitlin Clark was named WNBA Rookie of the Year just hours before the Indiana Fever's first game of the first round of the playoffs on Sunday against the Connecticut Sun.

Clark is coming off a historic regular season in which the generational talent broke multiple records and led a previously struggling Fever organization to a surprise playoff appearance after compiling a 13-27 record last season when Clark played for the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Would receiving this honor lead to Clark having an inspired game on Sunday in Connecticut against the heavily favored Sun?

Almost immediately, it became apparent that this was not the case. Clark struggled in almost every aspect of the game, and Indiana lost by a score of 93-69.

The guard scored just 11 points on 4 of 17 shooting from the field, including making just 2 of 13 three-pointers. Although Clark contributed eight assists and three steals, his shooting difficulties played a big role in the Fever's loss.

Caitlin Clark struggles in WNBA playoff debut

It's not too surprising that Clark seemed overwhelmed in this game. Connecticut finished the regular season with a record of 28-12. Their defense ranked first in the WNBA at 73.6 points per game. Opponents made just 31 percent of their three-point shots against this team.

It was clear from the start that Clark would have a tough time against this team, and given the Sun's status as clear favorites heading into the series, that status is only amplified.

Clark, for her part, apparently blamed the referees for playing a role in the Fever's ugly loss in Game 1.

“We were right there, I felt like we just played a crappy game,” Clark told reporters. “The flow of the game was really bad, I don't know if it was the referee's fault, it was probably partly us having trouble getting the right stops, but also the clock getting messed up, it was just one thing after another.”

I'm not sure how much the refereeing decisions played a role in the 24-point loss. If the game had been closer, it would be a different story.

While Clark struggled, other Indiana stars did their thing. Kelsey Mitchell scored 21 points on 9 of 20 shots. However, she also only made 2 of 10 three-point shots. Aliyah Boston contributed 17 points and 11 rebounds.

It didn't matter. The Fever need Clark's better performance if they want to extend their season with Game 2 of the best-of-three set to take place Wednesday at Mohegan Sun Arena in Connecticut.

For now, this has to be viewed as a learning experience for Clark. She just didn't get it done in her postseason debut on Sunday.

One thing is for sure. Clark is not lacking confidence as Indiana is on the brink of elimination.

“We can win,” Clark told reporters. “It's not about the building, it's not about the gym, it's not about the baskets. I have the most confidence in the world in this team, and everyone in our locker room does, too, and I know we're going to be a lot better on Wednesday.”

That confidence could well lead to a rebound in performance as Indiana looks to force a third game at home on Friday night.

The bigger issue is fixing the shooting issues we saw from Clark on Sunday. She can play well in other aspects of the game. But Indiana certainly needs her to score more points and be efficient. That wasn't the case on Sunday. The numbers and tape tell us that story.