INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Fever bounced again from their disappointing loss to the Washington Mystics with a win over Phoenix at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Friday evening, marking their second-straight win over the Mercury.
However the Mercury did not make it simple. Down 23 factors going into the fourth, Phoenix began the quarter on a 16-4 run, then at one level obtained inside 4 factors, regardless of lacking Diana Taurasi (out injured) and Brittney Griner (who left within the second quarter with an harm and did not return). The Fever held on for a 95-86 win behind big-time performances from 4 of 5 starters.
Kelsey Mitchell led the Fever with 28 factors, whereas Aliyah Boston (21 factors, 13 rebounds), Caitlin Clark (20 factors, 13 assists) and NaLyssa Smith (14 factors, 10 rebounds) every had double-doubles.
It’s the first time the Fever have received the season sequence towards the Mercury since 2016; Tamika Catchings’ closing yr within the league. Indiana has another sport towards Phoenix, which comes as its first sport after the Olympic break on Aug. 16.
Insider:Caitlin Clark a passing maestro with 13 extra assists. ‘You simply should be prepared.’
ExtraFever ‘limitless’ when younger core performs prefer it did for many of win vs. Mercury
The Fever are 10-14 with two video games remaining earlier than the Olympic break.
Listed below are three observations:
Fever take down underhanded Mercury
The Phoenix Mercury had been already shorthanded once they flew into Indianapolis on Thursday evening, ruling guards Diana Taurasi, Sug Sutton and Charisma Osborne out a day early for Friday’s sport.
That meant the Mercury, who normally carry 11 gamers on their roster as a substitute of 12, solely had eight accessible gamers. So, they waived ahead Liz Dixon and introduced on former Fever guard and 2024 No. 15 draft choose Celeste Taylor for some backcourt depth on Friday morning. Taylor’s solely follow with the staff was their one-hour shootaround on Friday morning in Indianapolis.
Then, guard Natasha Cloud was a late scratch for the Mercury with a knee harm, giving Phoenix seven gamers to start out the sport. That quantity rapidly dwindled down to 6 accessible gamers after heart Brittney Griner collided with teammate Kahleah Copper within the first quarter and injured her hip. Griner left the sport and went to the locker room, and she or he was formally dominated out round halftime.
Copper and Rebecca Allen ended up being the Mercury’s solely starters accessible the complete sport. Cooper performed 35 minutes with a game-high 36 factors, whereas Allen had 4 factors in 25 minutes.
Taylor, who had formally been part of the Mercury for lower than 12 hours, was enjoying significant minutes towards her former staff. Taylor had solely performed 16 whole minutes in almost half the season with Indianapolis; she exceeded that quantity on Friday.
Extra:Simply hours after being signed by Mercury, Celeste Taylor faces former Indiana Fever staff
Taylor wasn’t a lot of a scoring facet of the Mercury’s offense, however the former Ohio State standout and Large Ten Defensive Participant of the 12 months primarily guarded Fever rookie Caitlin Clark. Taylor performed 24 minutes and completed the sport with 5 assists, three rebounds, two steals, and a +/- of +10.
Caitlin Clark breaks single-quarter help file
The Fever rookie is famend for her assists, and she or he placed on a clinic within the first quarter. Whether or not it was a cross-court lob to Kelsey Mitchell or a bounce go within the paint to Aliyah Boston, Clark was connecting together with her teammates on a unique stage.
Clark racked up extra factors than assists within the first quarter, ending the opening 10 minutes with 5 factors and 7 assists. It was a Fever franchise file for many assists in 1 / 4. By the third quarter, Clark had her fifth-straight points-assists double-double, which is one off Courtney Vandersloot’s WNBA file of six in a row.
Within the month of July, the Fever rookie is averaging 12 assists per sport. Her season common of seven.6 is second within the WNBA, solely behind Connecticut Solar ahead Alyssa Thomas’ 7.9 per sport.
NaLyssa Smith returns to beginning lineup
Fever third-year ahead NaLyssa Smith returned to the beginning lineup after a one-game absence, one thing coach Christie Sides mentioned was due to a “staff matter.”
Lexie Hull slotted into the beginning lineup in that sport towards the Mystics, whereas Katie Lou Samuelson moved over to the 4. Whereas Smith got here off the bench (and ended up beginning the second half), the Fever took a loss to the league’s worst staff.
Extra:NaLyssa Smith got here off bench in Fever loss to Mystics due to a ‘staff matter’
The ahead returned to type Friday evening, as she rejoined the beginning lineup and Samuelson moved again to the three spot. Smith ended up enjoying 34 minutes on Friday evening, going 6-of-13 from the sector for 14 factors and 10 rebounds.
What number of factors did Caitlin Clark rating towards the Mercury?
Clark had 20 factors on 8-of-16 taking pictures (2-of-7 from 3-point vary). She added 13 assists, six rebounds and completed with six turnovers.