Lexie Hull sounds off on key struggles for Indiana Fever without Caitlin Clark: "Feels like we’re starting over"

The Indiana Fever faced a harsh reality in their first game without Caitlin Clark in over a year, falling 83–77 to the Washington Mystics on Wednesday. With their star point guard sidelined due to injury, the Fever’s offense struggled to find rhythm, clearly missing Clark’s presence on the floor.

Forward Lexie Hull didn’t hold back when addressing the team’s difficulties, highlighting just how much Clark's absence has affected their game. She explained that opposing defenses play them differently without Clark and the team is now trying to adapt to a completely new dynamic in her absence.

"Defenses play us different without Caitlin out there…" Hull said. "…it feels a little bit like we’re starting over with a different group because everything’s a little bit different without her out there."

Hull is uniquely positioned to understand Caitlin Clark’s impact, perhaps more than most. She has thrived with Clark running the offense, benefiting from the attention Clark draws from opposing defenses, which often leaves Hull with open looks. Last season, Hull shot an impressive 47.1% from beyond the arc, largely thanks to Clark creating space and setting her up.

Without Clark on the floor in their first game, the Fever’s offense sputtered. They failed to score a single transition point and their ball movement was sluggish, resulting in a stagnant attack. It’s clear the team faces an uphill battle offensively until Clark is back in action.

Caitlin Clark takes up the role of a vocal leader amid injury

Lexie Hull also spoke about Caitlin Clark’s growth as a leader during her time away from the court with a quad injury. The Fever forward highlighted how Clark is using this period to gain a new perspective by observing the game from the sidelines and spending time with the coaching staff.

"I’m seeing her grow in ways I didn’t expect," Hull said of Clark. "Her being able to watch the game from a different lens and be able to sit by the coaches and hear what they say. I think she’s learning a lot and she’s been very vocal in the locker room because you do hear things and see things differently."

The Fever are set to play their second game without Clark on Friday when they host the Connecticut Sun. Sitting at a 2–3 record and riding a two-game losing streak, the Indiana-based franchise will be eager to bounce back with a strong performance, especially against a Sun team still searching for its first win of the season.