Christie Sides Defends Controversial Coaching Decision After Fever Loss
The Indiana Fever fell to 19-19 on the WNBA season after they were defeated by the Las Vegas Aces 78-74 on Friday.
After Fever head coach Christie Sides called a timeout with a little over 20 seconds left in the game and her team down three points, Indiana had possession of the ball and an inbound opportunity with the shot clock turned off.
With rookie Caitlin Clark being tightly guarded, the ball was inbounded to Lexie Hull, who looked Clark's way before passing it off to Kelsey Mitchell. Mitchell dribbled into the paint before kicking it out to Aliyah Boston, who, contrary to typically being in the post, was waiting for the pass in the corner, behind the three point arc.
Boston received Mitchell's pass with nobody around her and took the shot. It rattled around the basket for a moment before clanking out and getting grabbed by A'ja Wilson, which all-but sealed the game for Las Vegas.
While the play Sides drew up created a wide-open look for Boston, she has been criticized harshly by Fever fans on social media since the game ended for not having Clark or Mitchell take that last shot.
Aliyah Boston with a great look from the corner for the tie and misses it.
— Ashwin (@Sudharsan_ak) September 14, 2024
Was this the play drawn by Sides??? to get AB open???? Or was it improvised on the fly???👀👀👀#WNBA #FeverRising pic.twitter.com/FZqVV6IiKu
Yet, the second-year head coach defended her play call during Indiana's postgame press conference.
"People know it's going to be really hard to get Caitlin a shot in those possessions. Like, we want to make sure, between her and Kelsey, you give them both options," Sides said, per Chloe Peterson.
"And [Boston] came to me right before, she said, 'Coach, do you want me to spread out to the corner three?' I said 'Be ready', because they're gonna take that shooter away. And it was a great shot. It rimmed in and out.
“I had all the confidence in her to take that shot. Teams are going to scheme against Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell, they’re going to do everything they can to make somebody else take that three. But it's just on us, gotta find a way to get the ball in their hands and let them take it. But I was so okay with that wide-open three by Aliyah Boston,” Sides concluded.
Christie Sides on Aliyah Boston taking the potential game-tying 3:
— Chloe Peterson (@chloepeterson67) September 14, 2024
“I had all the confidence in her to take that shot. Teams are going to scheme against Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell, they’re going to do everything they can to make sure someone else takes that 3.” pic.twitter.com/KccxZq5ZcA
While Sides was content with Boston's shot there, most Fever fans don't seem to be.
GRANT YOUNG
Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.