The stage is set for one of the most highly anticipated WNBA games of the season Friday night when the Dallas Wings host the Indiana Fever in a clash between current and former No. 1 picks, Paige Bueckers and Caitlin Clark.

Clark has suffered a bit of a shooting slump in recent weeks, especially from beyond the arc, as the second-year guard is now 1-for-28 from three on the road this year. To make matters worse, the Fever announced Clark picked up a groin injury and will miss Thursday's matchup against the Los Angeles Sparks. It is unclear whether Clark will return to action for Friday's game against the Wings.

In the wake of Clark's scoring woes, Bueckers was asked for her thoughts about the Fever star constantly dealing with the media and outside noise.

"I would just say [Clark] handles it with grace, and the pressure that she's put on every single night to perform at the level that she does—it's inhumane, really, to expect people to be perfect and to not have off games or off nights. If she doesn't go 8 for 10 from three, people are questioning things. It's unfair to have to deal with that," Bueckers said Thursday.

"She's a great person at dealing with it, and just tuning out the noise and just continuing to be there for herself and for her team."

Like Clark, Bueckers has enjoyed early historic success in her rookie season, though it hasn't exactly translated to team wins. The Wings are 4-12 on the year, even with the former UConn star averaging 17.7 points and 5.8 assists while shooting 45.7% from the field. Bueckers also recently became the fastest player in WNBA history to reach 200 points and 50 assists, achieving the mark in just 11 games.

Still, with the Wings a long shot away from playoff contention at the moment, there's plenty of work to be done for Bueckers and her team.

"I'm a perfectionist, I think every shot I shoot should go in, so when it doesn't—but then, also like [Clark] talked about, just being able to give yourself grace and know that you are not perfect and there's going to be ups and downs," continued Bueckers. "There's gonna be good games, there's gonna be bad games, but as long as you keep it forward, keep pushing, and keep learning from game to game, that's all you can ask for."

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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Why Paige Bueckers Thinks Caitlin Clark Is Dealing With ‘Unfair’ Criticism This Season.

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