Impact of Caitlin Clark's Injury on the WNBA Season

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00:00to the very beginnings of a WNBA season. Our coach, J.Y. James Young, is here to end out our three

00:06hours on this Wednesday on TEL. Of course, J.Y., over the long holiday weekend, some big injury

00:12news hit the WNBA. Kaitlin Clark, they left quad strain out for a minimum of two weeks for the

00:19Indiana Fever. She will be re-evaluated at that point. It could be a significant amount of time

00:25missed for Clark early on in her second WNBA season. Of course, there are many different

00:31ramifications for what this means for the league, for the Fever, all of that good stuff. From a

00:36basketball and coaching perspective, J.Y., how does this impact the way the Fever want to play?

00:43Tremendously. They have to play slower because not only is she their leading scorer, but her usage

00:50rate, Ben, and how much she has a ball in her hands or her creativity, you don't have that other kind

00:54of true point guard on the roster. So if you take a look, for instance, tonight, their over-under

01:00versus the Mystics is like 163. Their total versus the Liberty game last week was like 170-something.

01:08So it's already down 10, 12 points for one game. So here's the crazy thing. I think you still look

01:13under in the game. I think you have to walk the ball up the floor. I think you have to get into

01:17offense a little bit slower. And a team in the Mystics that have gone under this number three straight

01:22times. Take a look at under 163. Now, who is the benefit in regards to a player? It's Kelsey

01:28Mitchell, right? People got to remember, folks, Kelsey Mitchell has scored at least 17 and a half

01:33points per game since 2020. She was absolutely electric the second half of the year. She is a

01:39shot maker and a shot taker. I don't trust Lexi Hall even though she's got in the starting spot.

01:43Dewana Bonner has not been good. Natasha Howard's been up and down. I wouldn't go to a Leo Boston

01:48go to Leo Boston because she relies on that pick and roll, Ben, pick and pop with Kaitlin

01:52Clark. It's right at Kelsey Mitchell. Kelsey Mitchell over 20 and a half points tonight

01:58versus the Washington Mystics.

02:0115 plus for Mitchell in all four games this year for the Fever, but only over 20 and a half

02:06with 24 in game number two of the year against the Atlanta Dream. The Fever off to a two and two

02:12start. And of course, JY, this is why the roster was built up in Indianapolis around Kaitlin Clark

02:17to be able to sustain potentially this, but also be a true WNBA title contender. As we go big

02:24picture, look at the Fever's price now to win a championship. It is plus 430 entering the weekend

02:31in that marquee matchup on Saturday afternoon against the reigning champs in the Liberty, who

02:35we will discuss in just a matter of moments. That was a plus 350 price on Indiana. It is moved back

02:41by nearly a buck. Big picture here. If Kaitlin Clark is out for multiple weeks for the Fever,

02:49does it change your outlook on Indiana in terms of being that true contender?

02:53No, I just got to see when she gets back. I mean, I still think at the end of the day,

02:57they're maybe now a top, you know, five, they're definitely a top half of the league, right?

03:01They're definitely now top six. They still have enough with Mitchell and Hull and Boston and

03:06Cunningham and Bonner. Obviously, we need Duana Bonner to play more like the back of her basketball

03:11card because she has not been good. But I still think they're a top five, top six team. What it

03:17just does is it just opens up the fact that the New York Liberty, who's playing really well,

03:21they're the best team in the Eastern Conference. And now it's probably by a wide margin and they'll

03:25open up that lead.

03:26The WNBA finals matchup last year, the New York Liberty and the Minnesota Lynx, who are our two

03:32remaining undefeated teams in the W. Minnesota off to a perfect 5-0 start, although it was her

03:38first game not recording 23 points yesterday. Nafisa Collier still a double-double. Minnesota did

03:44win by five at home against the Seattle Storm. Seattle did cover, but still a perfect 5-0 start for

03:50the Lynx and the reigning champs in the New York Liberty. Nearly a 30-point win against the Golden State

03:55Valkyries yesterday. They are also off to an undefeated start at a perfect 4-0. J.Y.,

04:02how do you evaluate the very top of the table in the WNBA?

04:06Exactly what I thought it was going to be, where we're lining ourselves up for a rematch.

04:09You know, having all five starters back for the Minnesota Lynx and arguably the best coach

04:13in the WNBA in Cheryl Reap. New York, yeah, no Benazza, Laney, Hamilton. By getting Marina

04:18Johannes back from France. Natasha Cloud in the trade, the shrewdest off-season move out of any team

04:23in the W. She's been fantastic with that lineup. Ben, we are on a collision course for a rematch.

04:30I don't trust Vegas. I think they missed Kelsey Plum and their bigs more than people think. I don't

04:35know if that gray backcourt with Jackie Young and obviously Jewel Ward's going to work too little

04:41size. It's Minnesota, New York on a collision course. Don't touch Ficha now at minus 210. Let

04:47Kaitlyn Clark come back. Maybe she goes on a run. She drops down. Then jump on Ficha. You've missed

04:52your mark. It may come back again. Big Feast. Nafisa Collier now the favorite at greater than a

04:57$2 price. Minus 210 to win the WNBA MVP. Kaitlyn Clark was the favorite entering this past weekend.

05:05JY, a fadeaway to tomorrow and a Thursday on the early line. We appreciate your time as always here on

05:12T-E-L. That does it for us today. Show returns tomorrow, 8 a.m. Eastern time.

05:17You're on Sportsman.

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