2024-09-05 10:35:02
Game Preview: Fever Begin Six-Game Homestand on Wednesday against Sparks
Wed, Sep 4, 2024, 10:57 AM
Indiana Fever vs. Los Angeles Sparks
Wednesday, Sept. 4
Gainbridge Fieldhouse | 7:00 p.m. ET
Broadcast Information
MeTV, CBS Sports Network
Probable Starters
Indiana Fever (17-16)
Guard – Kelsey Mitchell (19.0 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 1.9 apg)
Guard – Caitlin Clark (18.7 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 8.4 apg)
Guard – Lexie Hull (5.4 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 0.9 apg)
Center – Aliyah Boston (13.4 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 3.0 apg)
Forward – NaLyssa Smith (11.1 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 1.1 apg)
Los Angeles Sparks (7-25)
Guard – Odyssey Sims (9.9 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 5.4 apg)
Forward – Dearica Hamby (17.5 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 3.4 apg)
Center – Azurá Stevens (10.5 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 2.2 apg)
Forward – Stephanie Talbot (4.2 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 2.2 apg)
Forward – Rickea Jackson (12.6 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 1.4 apg)
Game Status Report
Indiana: Temi Fagbenle – QUESTIONABLE (Right Shoulder)
Los Angeles: Cameron Brink – OUT (Left Knee- NWT), Lexie Brown – OUT (Crohn’s- NWT), Layshia Clarendon – OUT (mental health reasons- NWT)
GAME PREVIEW:
Following two road wins, a 5-1 record in August and clinching a WNBA postseason bid late Tuesday night, the Indiana Fever welcome the Los Angeles Sparks for the teams’ final regular-season clash to commence a six-game homestand at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
The Fever captured its first win of the regular season, 78-73, against the Sparks at Crypto.com Arena back on May 24. Four Fever players scored in double-figures in the first win of the season, led by guard Kelsey Mitchell’s 18-point performance and center Aliyah Boston’s 17-point effort. Since returning from the Olympic break, Mitchell is averaging 25.2 points per game and has set a franchise record for the most-consecutive games scoring at least 20 points with seven.
In the teams’ second meeting this season back on May 28, Los Angeles defeated Indiana, 88-82, despite a 30-point scoring effort from Fever guard Caitlin Clark. On Friday in Indiana’s 100-81 win against the Chicago Sky, Clark set a career-high in scoring with 31 points and recorded 12 assists as well, passing Ticha Penicheiro for the most games by a rookie in WNBA history to record at least 10 assists. Clark recorded her 10th game with at least 10 assists in Sunday’s win at Dallas finishing with 28 points and 12 assists.
Los Angeles enters Wednesday trying to climb out of the bottom of the WNBA standings. Since the Sparks’ last meeting with Indiana, Los Angeles lost rookie forward Cameron Brink for the rest of its season after suffering an ACL injury on June 18 against the Connecticut Sun. The Sparks’ went 1-6 in August after the Olympic break, but did pull out a win against the New York Liberty, 94-88. Despite Liberty forward Breanna Stewart’s 32-point scoring effort, the Sparks came out on top as five Sparks players scored in double-figures, led by Dearica Hamby’s 21 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Sparks guard Odyssey Sims is another new change to Los Angeles since its last meeting with Indiana. Sims was previously signed to a hardship contract with the Dallas Wings, but is now averaging 9.9 points per game in seven games with the Sparks this season.
Mitchell and Clark both sit in the top 10 in the WNBA in scoring with Mitchell averaging 19.0 points per game and Clark averaging 18.7 points per game. Hamby enters Wednesday in 12th averaging 17.5 points per game and also is tied for third in the league’s rebounding ranks, averaging 9.8 rebounds per game. Boston is three spots behind Hamby in sixth place for rebounds, averaging 9.0 rebounds per game. Clark continues to lead all rookies in multiple categories, but Sparks forward Rickea Jackson ranks third among all rookies in scoring, averaging 12.6 points per game.
