Caitlin Clark is having the form of skilled success that many envisioned when she dominated the NCAA final 12 months, and seems to be notably rejuvenated after a month-long Olympic break. In Friday’s 98-89 win over the Mercury, Clark exploded for 29 factors, 10 assists, and 5 rebounds in entrance of a raucous crowd on the Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Clark didn’t do it alone; the Fever’s different two All Stars have been additionally instrumental within the victory. Kelsey Mitchell completed with 28 factors on 11-22 taking pictures, whereas Aliyah Boston posted 14 factors, 9 rebounds, and 4 assists.
Mercury head coach Eric Thibault praised the Fever’s backcourt postgame.
“Caitlin is an unbelievable passer, and Kelsey shot the heck out of it,” Thibault stated.
Clark’s efficiency makes her the primary participant in WNBA historical past to document 50 factors and 25 assists over a two-game span. In her final recreation previous to the Olympic break, she completed with 24 factors and 19 assists.
For the Mercury, a second-half comeback fell simply brief
The Fever bought off to a sizzling begin, taking a 19-point first quarter lead and lengthening that to as many as 28 within the second quarter. Phoenix was taking part in on the second night time of a back-to-back, and seemed to be a bit torpid to begin.
“I believe we got here out with a whole lot of vitality,” Clark stated after the sport. “I believe there’s instances the place we might have crumbled, however we simply stored battling and preventing and I believed it was a extremely good one for us.”
The Mercury launched into a 25-7 second-half run to take a one-point lead within the third quarter, however the Fever responded with a 12-3 run to shut the interval, capped by a buzzer-beating three-pointer from Katie Lou Samuelson.
“Within the first half, we have been disillusioned in how we confirmed up,” stated Mercury guard Natasha Cloud, who completed with 19 factors on 7-13 taking pictures. “It simply is what it’s. We didn’t play our greatest basketball. Within the second half, we did a greater job, but it surely simply wasn’t sufficient. We simply need to lock down.”
Kahleah Copper led the best way for Phoenix, going off for 32 factors, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists. Copper, the second-leading scorer within the WNBA this season, did most of her injury from the free throw line, the place she hit 18 of 19 makes an attempt.
Diana Taurasi added 16 factors, 4 rebounds, and three assists for Phoenix. However, each time the Mercury made a push, the Fever held their very own.
Cloud hit a pull-up jumper to chop the deficit to six factors with 6:32 to play, however Mitchell nailed a three-pointer in response. Down the stretch, Copper nailed a 3 with 2:21 to play to chop Indiana’s lead again down to six, however Fever guard Lexie Hull returned the favor with a 3 of her personal.
For the Mercury, the sport served as a reminder that such low-energy begins can’t all the time be overcome in a league as proficient because the WNBA.
“We are able to’t dig ourselves a gap like that,” Thibault stated postgame.
For Caitlin Clark, a scorching sizzling streak of basketball continues
Friday’s efficiency marked Clark’s ninth recreation this season with 20+ factors, 5+ rebounds, and 5+ assists. It’s the second-most in a single season by any participant in WNBA historical past — rookie or in any other case.
For the season, Caitlin Clark is averaging 17.1 factors and eight.2 assists per recreation, however these numbers have been on an upswing; over her final six video games, Clark is averaging 23 factors and 12.3 assists.
With the win, the Fever advance to 12-15 on the season, good for seventh total. After beginning the season 1-8, Indiana is 11-7 of their final 18 video games and seems rather more related on each ends of the ground.
Subsequent, Indiana will host the Storm on Sunday. The Mercury, in the meantime, will return residence to face the Sky.
