"Natalie Nakase acting like she figured out Caitlin": Fever fans troll Valkyries HC for saying Caitlin Clark doesn't like 'physicality' 

Caitlin Clark had one of her worst games this season during the Indiana Fever's 88-77 loss to the Golden State Valkyries on Friday. Clark recorded only 11 points and committed six turnovers. She shot a measly 3-for-14, including 0-for-7 from 3-point range. The Fever gave up a 13-point lead and ultimately lost another game they controlled for most of the night.

Golden State had the guard depth to deal with Clark's quickness and ability to get free. After the game, Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase said it was the plan all along, adding she knew that the Fever star "didn't like" physicality.

"We were being disruptive, we know she doesn’t like physicality. And we know she wants to get back to that left stepback... I watched her in Iowa. She loves that left [stepback]."

Fever fans weren't happy with Nakase's comments. They felt Clark's shortcomings were mainly her own doing rather than the Valkyries' game planning.

Here are some of the reactions to the Valkyries coach's statement:

C

@C038254

Did she something additional to the post game? Have they already give her a Slam cover & COTM for it?

correlation

@nosyone4

lmfaooo natalie nakase acting like she figured out caitlin when really she just played like ass. it happens. same shit as “caitlin rules” after the first liberty game. we all see how that second game went

FaRKaSCaST

@farkascast

Bulletin Board material might fire CC up for their next battle with the Valkyries

Simon

@Simon6989930305

lol if CC didn’t have an off shooting night she would of had 20/9/7 instead of 11/9/7

Jess

@FeverBandwagon

Yeah she’s a little aggressive in promoting her role in what happened… didn’t hear a single new thought in all that she said.

Caitlin Clark gets blunt on her off night vs. Valkyries

While Fever fans took issue with what was said about Caitlin Clark on Friday against the Valkyries, the reigning Rookie of the Year didn't seem bothered by her performance. Clark accepted that she wouldn't be at her best in every outing.

"It's a 44-game season, I'm not going to play perfect for 44 games," Clark said on Saturday.

"I think that's where I really kind of struggled last year at times. ... I didn’t play very well at Golden State, and to me, like, I wasn’t defeated after the game. Was I upset by the way my team performed? Absolutely. But, you know, that doesn’t define our season by any means."

Clark's struggles against the Valkyries could be chalked up to an off night in the Fever's first outing of a three-game road trip. Prior to this game, she produced monster efforts against the Liberty and Sun in consecutive outings, dropping 32 and 20 points, respectively, on efficient shooting splits.

Caitlin Clark will hope to bounce back against the struggling Aces on Sunday in her first matchup against MVP rival A'ja Wilson.