Getty Image / Caitlin Clark
I don’t think anyone had the Caitlin Clark era in the WNBA starting with five straight losses for her and her Indiana Fever teammates. That’s exactly what the Fever were dealing with heading into Friday night’s game in Los Angeles against the Sparks.
Frankly, Caitlin Clark didn’t play a great game, especially in terms of shooting efficiency. But, that didn’t matter on her final attempt of the game, which essentially clinched her first win in the WNBA and the Fever’s first of the season, 78-73.
After the Sparks trimmed a 7-point deficit to two on back-to-back trips with under a minute left, the Fever needed a bucket. And, no one in the history of women’s college basketball was better at getting a bucket than Caitlin Clark. That’s exactly what she did. Take a look.
the absolute DAGGER from Caitlin Clark 😤 pic.twitter.com/Z9xDe6l3ts
— Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever) May 25, 2024
That’s the Caitlin Clark that we all became accustomed to the last four years at Iowa and the one that many thought would instantly take the WNBA by storm.
It was great to see her rebound from what was a poor shooting night overall. She was just 4-14 overall from the floor for 11 points. But, she added 10 rebounds and 8 assists to chip in .
It was actually the much-maligned Aliyah Boston who carried the load offensively for the Fever on Friday night. Boston, last year’s WNBA Rookie of the Year, was 8-14 for 17 points. Kelsey Mitchell added 18, and that added up to an Indiana Fever win.
Sparks center Cameron Brink, taken with the second-overall pick in the WNBA Draft right behind Caitlin Clark, had a great night of her own. She had 15 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 blocks.
The Fever are back in action Saturday night in Las Vegas against the defending champion Aces.