Caitlin Clark is having the kind of professional success that many envisioned when she dominated the NCAA last year, and appears to be particularly rejuvenated after a month-long Olympic break. In Friday’s 98-89 win over the Mercury, Clark exploded for 29 points, 10 assists, and 5 rebounds in front of a raucous crowd at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Clark didn’t do it alone; the Fever’s other two All Stars were also instrumental in the victory. Kelsey Mitchell finished with 28 points on 11-22 shooting, while Aliyah Boston posted 14 points, 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 said.
Clark’s performance makes her the first player in WNBA history to record 50 points and 25 assists over a two-game span. In her last game prior to the Olympic break, she finished with 24 points and 19 assists.
For the Mercury, a second-half comeback fell just short
The Fever got off to a hot start, taking a 19-point first quarter lead and extending that to as many as 28 in the second quarter. Phoenix was playing on the second night of a back-to-back, and appeared to be a bit lethargic to start.
“I think we came out with a lot of energy,” Clark said after the game. “I think there’s times where we could have crumbled, but we just kept battling and fighting and I thought it was a really good one for us.”
The Mercury embarked on a 25-7 second-half run to take a one-point lead in the third quarter, but the Fever responded with a 12-3 run to close the period, capped by a buzzer-beating three-pointer from Katie Lou Samuelson.
“In the first half, we were disappointed in how we showed up,” said Mercury guard Natasha Cloud, who finished with 19 points on 7-13 shooting. “It just is what it is. We didn’t play our best basketball. In the second half, we did a better job, but it just wasn’t enough. We just have to lock down.”
Kahleah Copper led the way for Phoenix, going off for 32 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists. Copper, the second-leading scorer in the WNBA this season, did most of her damage from the free throw line, where she hit 18 of 19 attempts.
Diana Taurasi added 16 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists for Phoenix. But, every time the Mercury made a push, the Fever held their own.
Cloud hit a pull-up jumper to cut the deficit to 6 points with 6:32 to play, but Mitchell nailed a three-pointer in response. Down the stretch, Copper nailed a three with 2:21 to play to cut Indiana’s lead back down to 6, but Fever guard Lexie Hull returned the favor with a three of her own.
For the Mercury, the game served as a reminder that such low-energy starts can’t always be overcome in a league as talented as the WNBA.
“We can’t dig ourselves a hole like that,” Thibault said postgame.
For Caitlin Clark, a scorching hot streak of basketball continues
Friday’s performance marked Clark’s 9th game this season with 20+ points, 5+ rebounds, and 5+ assists. It’s the second-most in a single season by any player in WNBA history — rookie or otherwise.
For the season, Caitlin Clark is averaging 17.1 points and 8.2 assists per game, but those numbers have been on an upswing; over her last six games, Clark is averaging 23 points and 12.3 assists.
With the win, the Fever advance to 12-15 on the season, good for 7th overall. After starting the season 1-8, Indiana is 11-7 in their last 18 games and appears much more connected on both ends of the floor.
Next, Indiana will host the Storm on Sunday. The Mercury, meanwhile, will return home to face the Sky.