2024-08-17 21:15:02
Caitlin Clark put on a show in the Indiana Fever‘s return to WNBA action following the Olympic break. The rookie star scored 29 points and had 10 assists as the Fever beat the Phoenix Mercury 98-89 on Friday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Clark, who was left off the USA Olympic team, shined against a Phoenix team featuring three Team USA gold medalists (Diana Taurasi, Brittney Griner and Kahleah Copper). Copper had a game-high 32 points, while Taurasi had 16 points on 5-of-13 shooting and Griner struggled with foul trouble, finishing with 10 points and and four rebounds.
Watch:Caitlin Clark pass gets Tyrese Haliburton out of his seat
The Fever are now 12-15 and seventh in the WNBA playoffs picture (top eight make it).
Here’s what Clark said following Friday night’s win:
“I think we got a lot better, just in understanding each other as we’re playing the game, looking for each other when each other is hot. Kels got hot there, made a few in a row, so you’re just looking to find her, in transition especially, the way she runs the floor with her speed, I’m always going to try and look to find her, and I think she can tell, when I want her to go backdoor, when I want her come off the ball or anything like that, just that chemistry that you get used to playing with one another. I think it’s taken time, but I think we’re really starting to get down.”
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On first quarter run, Fever led 33-16:
“Yeah that was pretty fun. We came out with a lot of energy, it’s just continuing to find a way to sustain that. At the same time, they’re a really good team, they’re not going to go away, it’s just finding ways to limit that. I think we let them go on a run (20-3), but then we respond, and they go on another run, but we have to limit their run, I think that’s where we take our next step. But I’m really proud of us, I thought there were times throughout the year where we would kind of crumble when we gave up a huge lead… what was our biggest lead?”
Reporter: “28.”
“28, and it got down to 1 I think. I think there’s times when we would have crumbled, but we just kept battling and fighting. I think it was a really good win for us.”
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“When I can get going early, that’s when I really settle into the game and feel comfortable. My third quarter wasn’t great but I kind of found a way to respond, especially there at the end, the way we closed the third quarter was super important going into the fourth, I think we went on a little run there. We were lucky enough to get a 2-for-1 quick, and I made a basket and then we came down a made a stop and Lou made a 3 and I think that just kind of gave us some fire going into the fourth, and we played really good. I think just getting to know my teammates and playing with them, it’s just a comfortability, it was going to take me a little time to get used to. It was hard to adjust, and once I kind of found my groove so far, we’ve just been getting better and better.”
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On balance playing with crowd energy:
“I have good experience with that. It’s something that I love to do, but at the same time, like you have to use it to help you, it can’t be a distraction, it can’t be something that takes you out of your game. It just let the fans help you, they’re here, they’re being oud for us, I thought they were incredible tonight, I thought they were really loud. They were into the game and you have to win the ones on your homecourt and they certainly help us.”
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“We’re trying to do these last four as just one game at a time. Just take it one game at a time. And for us to come out and play a really great game, Phoenix came in playing a really great game last night against the Sky, so you knew they were going to come in with a lot of confidence with three people that have won gold medals. You know they’re coming in here with their confidence is real high, and I think we came in the first quarter and really set the tone. And for us it’s just one game at a time, every single game is going to be difficult, as I said, the ones that we have here at home, and we’re lucky enough to have quite a few at home these last 14 that we need to nail down and win.”
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On first game after long layoff:
“I called for a sub six minutes in. I was like holy cow. I think seven minutes in, I called for a sub and I was like, I need a minute here. We were playing fast, and I like then my defense isn’t as good, so kind of like a liability to my team, so just get a second to breathe, so, but yeah, getting back in game shape has been pretty easy. We’ve been competing really hard in practice, playing vs. our guys, bringing refs come in, basically five separate times, playing live, scrimmaging. That’s the best way to play in basketball shape. Obviously hard to replicate a real game, but felt good to get back out there.”
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On being 3-0 and a season sweep vs. Phoenix:
“I think one of our biggest wins of the season this year was our first win at Phoenix. I think that really kind of boosted us into how we’re playing basketball now. That was like our first, I think that was our first time beating a team over .500, first of all. It felt like a very good team win, we were down in that game and came back, so I think we have a lot of respect for them and how they play the game and how talented they are, and I think that gave us confidence, and you’ve seen us just get better and better from that point, and being able to beat this team three times, that’s awesome. It’s really hard to beat a team once, let alone twice, but three times is hard, especially in this league.”
Be sure to follow IndyStar Fever Insider Chloe Peterson on X at @chloepeterson67 for the latest updates and stories.
