Caitlin Clark scored a career-high and franchise record 45 points, including the go-ahead 3-pointer late in the fourth quarter, and the Indiana Fever won an instant classic over the Seattle Storm, 110-107. Clark and Kelsey Mitchell scored a combined 75 points, a WNBA record for teammates.
Here are your likes and dislikes.
LIKES
A return to form for Caitlin Clark. The Fever superstar was excellent and she looked as healthy as she has in weeks, netting a career-high 45 points on 11-of-18 shooting (6-for-10 from 3) with 10 assists and a couple rebounds. Her performance was highlighted by a clutch side-step 3-pointer with 38.1 seconds remaining that staked the Fever to a three-point lead. That play was preceded by a critical steal, wherein Clark swiped the ball on a fast-break opportunity created by a bad-pass turnover.
Among Clark’s 10 assists was a feed inside to Monique Billings for the game-tying 3-point play late in the fourth.
Clark needed just 13 minutes to rack up 19 points and six assists in the first half, doing her scoring damage on 4-of-8 shooting with three 3s. Her passing was on point, with her threading a series of first-quarter passes through a porous Seattle defense. Clark’s jumper and shot selection were both on point, as well.
Clark also reached a statistical milestone, becoming the fastest player in WNBA history to reach 200 career 3s in the second quarter.
Fever defense with the game on the line. Overall: Much to be desired. But down the stretch? Lights out. The Fever forced a shot clock violation to hold the margin at four, then Billings came up with a clutch block and Makayla Timpson dove after and recovered the rebound when it ping-ponged out. With the game on the line, the Fever did something they’ve done seldom this season: tightened the ranks on the defensive end of the floor.
Kelsey Mitchell: en fuego. The WNBA All-Star was incredible, again: 30 points on 13-of-25 shooting in 34 minutes. Her 17 first-quarter points were her most scored in an opening quarter and second-most in any quarter, according to The Athletic’s James Boyd.
Clark to the line. One more on Clark: She did not shy away from contact, getting herself to the line 18 times and converting 16 of those opportunities.
KK Timpson’s length. The second-year forward made her first career start, replacing the injured Aliyah Boston at center. Fever coach Stephanie White liked the 6-foot-2 Timpson’s size in the matchup with Seattle and she utilized that size to great effect, pulling in nine rebounds, disrupting passing lanes and clogging the lane around the basket. Timpson finished with a career-high nine rebounds.
DISLIKES
Indiana’s defense. They finished strong, but man, it was putrid before that. The home team shot 49%/50%/94%, scored 59 points and led by as many as 17 points in the first half. But it headed to the locker room clinging to a three-point lead, then trailed by as many as six in the second half. The Storm — Awa Fam, specifically — hit some crazy shots from deep, sure, but they also encountered minimal resistance when attacking the basket.
Awa Fam’s third quarter. Wednesday it was the Valkyries’ Kaitlyn Chen. Friday it was the Storm’s Awa Fam. She racked up 12 points on four increasingly difficult three pointers and added three assists to a standout third stanza.
What this means
Honestly, not much. Seattle’s in last place. Alarm bells would have been ringing if the Fever lost that game. That being said, the Fever have not won a game like that, so it was very encouraging to see them finally close one out. We’ll see how they follow this one against New York on Saturday.
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This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Fever blow 17-point lead, comeback behind Caitlin Clark’s record-breaking game
Reporting by Brian Haenchen, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Brian Haenchen, Indianapolis Star | USA TODAY Network
