2024-09-05 10:25:02
The Indiana Fever are on a hot streak and look to keep it going against the Los Angeles Sparks on Wednesday. It all goes down on Wednesday night at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana at 7 p.m. ET on CBS Sports Network.
Indiana has not made the playoffs since 2016, but that drought is officially ending as it clinched a postseason birth on Tuesday. The Fever have had quite the turnaround this season, as they started 0-5 but are now above .500 for the first time in five years. The are currently on a four-game winning streak and have won six of their last seven.
Last year, the Fever selected former South Carolina star Aliyah Boston with their No. 1 overall draft pick and she went on to win Rookie of the Year. However, they got even more star power in 2024 with the addition of Iowa legend Caitlin Clark, NCAA Division I’s all-time leading scorer.
Kelsey Mitchell is leading Indiana’s offense with 19 points per game, while Clark is averaging 18.7 points. Clark leads the team in assists with 8.4 per game, and Boston is the top rebounder at nine per game.
The Sparks have the worst record in the league at 7-25, but they recently showed they should not be overlooked by any opponent. Last week, they snapped a seven-game losing streak with a 94-88 win against none other than the New York Liberty, who own the WNBA’s best record. That was a full team effort with five Sparks reaching double digits, led by Dearica Hamby’s 21 points on 9-of-15 shooting. Rookie Rickea Jackson was also outstanding with 19 points on 7-of-11 from the field, including four 3-pointers.
Hamby is leading Los Angeles with 17.5 points, 9.8 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game. Jackson started the season coming off the bench, but now is the Sparks’ second-most consistent scorer with 12.6 points per game on 46.6% shooting. Los Angeles had another star rookie earlier in the season in former Stanford forward Cameron Brink, but she tore her ACL in June and was ruled out for the year.
Indiana and Los Angeles have met twice this season and have split the series. Their last encounter was on May 28, when the Sparks won 88-82. Kia Nurse led that winning effort with 22 points and five 3-pointers. Aari McDonald scored 21 points off the bench on 6-for-12 from the field, including three triples. Indiana, meanwhile, had Clark’s first 30-point game, and Boston added 17 points in 23 minutes.
Where to watch Sparks at Fever
Date/time: Wednesday, Sept. 4 at 7 p.m. ET
Location: Gainbridge Fieldhouse — Indianapolis
TV: CBS Sports Network
