WNBA fans make a point after Clark struggled against New York Liberty

Caitlin Clark stands on the court in the first half of a game against the New York Liberty.

Indiana were thrashed 102-66.

Caitlin Clark's early days in the WNBA have been challenging, but there's optimism for her future. In their home opener, the Indiana Fever faced a tough defeat, losing 102-66 to the New York Liberty at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. This game leaves the Fever at 0-2 after facing two strong teams, the Liberty and the Connecticut Sun.

Struggled in her first two WNBA games

Clark encountered difficulties with fouls and ended the game with nine points, seven rebounds, six assists, and three turnovers, shooting just 2-of-8 from the field and 1-of-7 from three-point range. Breanna Stewart, leading the Liberty, was unstoppable, scoring 31 points and adding 10 rebounds, four assists, three steals, and two blocks.

The matchup was highly anticipated, marking Clark's first home game since being drafted No. 1 overall in the 2024 WNBA draft. Fans were eager to see her perform after a rocky debut where the Fever fell to the Sun by 21 points. In that first game, Clark scored 20 points but had 10 turnovers and a 5-of-15 shooting performance.

Taking on a star-studded Liberty team featuring Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu and Jonquel Jones was a tall order. New York took control early, building a 17-point halftime lead with Stewart excelling in all facets of the game. The Fever struggled to defend against her versatile scoring.

Clark faced intense defensive pressure throughout the game and spent considerable time on the bench in the second half due to foul trouble.

"People thought Caitlin Clark was just going to roll into the league and not need to make any adjustments," a fan wrote on X. "She will be great. But it's not going to happen overnight."

Another added: "Caitlin Clark is going to be fine but I don't know why yall got so mad at those veterans saying there will be an adjustment period. If you are watching the games so far you know exactly what they were eluding to. They were spot on. It was never a diss."

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