PHOENIX — Again from a migraine and being pressured laborious by Phoenix’s protection, Caitlin Clark nonetheless delivered Sunday. The Fever guard completed one rebound wanting what would have been the primary triple-double by a WNBA rookie as Indiana beat the Mercury 88-82.
The sport was dubbed “The GOAT” (Mercury’s Diana Taurasi) vs. “The Rook” (Clark) — one a 42-year-old legend who has gained three WNBA titles and 5 Olympic gold medals, the opposite a 22-year-old taking part in for the primary time in Phoenix.
As is typical for Clark and Indiana this season, Fever supporters made up a decent-sized portion of the sellout crowd of 17,071 at Footprint Heart. Regardless of the Fever falling behind 17-4 to open the sport, trailing by 11 at halftime and being down as a lot as 15 within the second half, the Fever despatched their followers house completely happy.
Clark did not come to the postgame information convention as a result of she wasn’t feeling nicely, however she did speak briefly to ESPN’s Christine Williamson on courtroom after the sport.
“I am simply completely happy we gained,” mentioned Clark, who completed with 15 factors, 12 assists and 9 rebounds. “It was cool to play in opposition to [Taurasi], and clearly a very nice sport. This crowd was completely unbelievable.”
Taurasi, in her twentieth WNBA season, is the league’s all-time main scorer. Clark completed her Iowa profession in early April because the all-time main scorer in Division I basketball, males or girls.
Each have been No. 1 draft picks with large workloads as rookies. However Taurasi, WNBA Rookie of the 12 months in 2004, got here of age within the days earlier than social media and NIL offers. These issues have enormously impacted Clark’s profile. Her rookie season has been in a a lot larger highlight due to know-how and the expansion of the WNBA the previous 20 years.
Taurasi’s comment throughout Clark’s remaining faculty season that “Actuality is coming,” relating to her transition to the WNBA was no completely different from something the veteran has mentioned about rookies her entire profession. After Sunday’s sport, Taurasi praised Clark.
“It is wonderful what Caitlin’s been capable of do in her brief profession thus far,” Taurasi mentioned. “The one factor that I actually love about her, she loves the sport. You possibly can inform she’s put the work in. … It has been a variety of strain, a variety of issues thrown at her, and she or he retains exhibiting up and retains getting higher each single sport.
“So her future is tremendous vivid, and being a veteran and being on this league for a protracted, very long time, it’s fairly cool to see that and go into the long run.”
Taurasi, the oldest energetic participant within the WNBA, is the gold normal for guards within the league, and she or he did her half Sunday with 19 factors, 3 rebounds, 3 assists and three steals. Fellow guard Natasha Cloud had 15 factors and 7 assists, whereas heart Brittney Griner led Phoenix with 24 factors.
However the Fever gained the rebounding battle 42-28, led by ahead NaLyssa Smith’s 15 boards. Facilities Aliyah Boston (17 factors) and Temi Fagbenle (10), ahead Smith (12) and guard Kelsey Mitchell (16) joined Clark in double-digit scoring.
Clark was 4-of-14 from the sector, taking photographs in opposition to six completely different Mercury defenders all through the sport. However her passing was one of many largest keys to the Fever victory.
The sport obtained chippy at factors, with the groups combining for 5 technical fouls and two flagrant fouls. Regardless of the Mercury being the extra veteran workforce, the Fever saved their settle down the stretch.
“We proceed to inform one another, ‘We’re good, keep right here, take note of what we have now to do,'” ahead Aliyah Boston mentioned. “Use that as vitality for us, not as a distraction, not worrying about if they’ll foul us laborious or not. Each night time it’ll be a battle, so we have now to be prepared for it.”
It was the primary time since 2022 that the Fever have been capable of rally for a victory from down at the very least 15 factors. After going 1-8 to start out the season in Might, the Fever went 7-4 in June. Indiana hasn’t made the playoffs since 2016 however is at present in place to take action.
“That is a workforce that for the final couple years [has been] attempting to get to again to their glory days of Tamika Catchings and placing up a banner,” Taurasi mentioned of the Fever. “I feel what [Clark is] doing for that workforce proper now’s fairly spectacular.”