USA Today via Reuters
Jun 1, 2024; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) reacts after a call during a game against the Chicago Sky during a game at Grainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Michelle Pemberton/INDIANAPOLIS STAR-USA TODAY Sports
USA Today via Reuters
Jun 1, 2024; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) reacts after a call during a game against the Chicago Sky during a game at Grainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Michelle Pemberton/INDIANAPOLIS STAR-USA TODAY Sports
After an upsetting 86-75 loss to LA on September 11th, Caitlin Clark and her team embarked on the court determined to turn the tables. In the last three games of the series, the Fever hadn’t registered a single win against the defending champions. But this Friday, they seemed all set to change the narrative in their fourth and final showdown with the Aces. Not anymore!
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In the first quarter of the game, the Aces roared ahead. Just as they had taken the first three games, it seemed like they were looking to close out the sweep. All this happened while the Fever’s only rookie hope, Caitlin Clark, was off her game in the first half. She was even limited to zero points by A’ja Wilson and company.
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It was a repercussion of her actions earlier in the game, where she received her second foul in just five minutes. In response, she screamed in frustration and ended up smacking the basketball hoop. When this was noticed, the officials immediately blew the whistle and called a technical foul on Clark.
That marked Caitlin’s sixth technical foul this season, the second-most in the league. As a result, Christie Sides decided to pull her off the bench for some time, which limited Clark to zero points in the early stages. However, when she returned to the court, she was as dominant as ever.
Clark turned out to be a blessing in disguise for Fever
The Indiana Fever rookie finished the game just shy of a triple-double. She racked up 18 points on 7-of-18 shooting in 34 minutes of gameplay. As usual, her 18 points, 9 assists, and eight rebounds weren’t enough to overcome the tough competition from the defending champions, the Aces. This led to the Fever standing at 0-4 against the Aces, with a recent 78-74 loss.
Though this time the score was much closer, Clark once again stood out. Despite the setbacks, she managed to register another anticipated record. By making her 317th assist in the game against A’ja Wilson and company, she set the regular-season assist record. In the process, she surpassed the previous record set by Alyssa Thomas last year. For the 22-year-old Iowa native, this feat isn’t entirely new.
She already holds the record for the most assists (19) in a single game, posted against the Dallas Wings on July 17. However, her turnovers and technical fouls remain a significant concern for the Fever, especially as they can force her to come off the bench. “We can’t afford to have her sitting out because of avoidable fouls,” shared HC Sides last month. Even for her, it’s a major challenge before the playoff spots.
Written by
Edited by
Shivatmika Manvi