Even though Caitlin Clark is losing and becoming more frustrated, she can see the progress.
Despite losing 88-82 to the Los Angeles Sparks on Tuesday night, the rookie for the Indiana Fever put together her most complete performance to date. She scored a season-high 30 points, provided 6 assists, grabbed 5 rebounds, had 3 steals, and had 3 blocks against the WNBA’s only other one-win team.
In a game, she became the first rookie in WNBA history to achieve 30 points, 3 blocks, and 3 steals. Only Tamika Catchings scored more in her debut season (32, twice), but her 30 points ranked as the third-highest by a rookie in Fever history.
“I think I just played with an aggressive mindset,” Clark stated. “I think that was the biggest thing — to play downhill the best I could. We did some good things and then we just kind of shot ourselves in the foot.”
So far this season, the former Iowa standout and her new colleagues have experienced that kind of thing.
The Fever’s harsh schedule, which includes playing eight regular-season games in 14 days and five games against the top three teams from the previous season, has contributed to their seven-out of eight losses. This has left them with little time for recuperation or practice.
And even though Clark seems to be getting stronger by the game, it’s taken a toll.
After playing Clark for the second time in four days, Sparks coach Curt Miller remarked, “Tonight she was able to get to the foul line a lot, which supplemented her offense, but I thought we did a pretty good job [defensively],” “Obviously, the point total tonight again was bigger but you know seven made baskets tonight.”
Miller felt very pleased about that.
The top two picks from last month’s WNBA draft—forward Cameron Brink of Sparks and Clark—were in the game. Brink ended with two assists, three rebounds, and three points.
However, veterans Aari McDonald and Kia Nurse were the real stars. Three days after losing to Indiana, Nurse scored 22 points, and McDonald added a season-high 21 points and four assists to help the Sparks (2-4) come back and win.
Despite the fact that Clark has now lost all three of her home games, her influence is still felt everywhere she travels.
On a Tuesday night, The Fever attracted a nearly sold-out audience of 16,013, which featured former Indianapolis Colts receiver T.Y. Hilton, current NFL players Shaquille Leonard and Nick Cross, as well as talents Tyrese Haliburton, Andrew Nembhard, and Bennedict Mathurin of the Indiana Pacers.
They observed a vast range of emotions.
After Clark made a 3-pointer from the right wing 66 seconds into the game, the crowd erupted. She dazzled the audience with deft passes, cunning steals, and even two blocks in the first half. Clark became the first player in WNBA history to record 100 points and 50 assists in her first eight professional games with her sixth assist of the evening.
With three first-half turnovers, she also made the home crowd wince. In fact, coach Christie Sides even brought her star rookie, Clark, toward the free-throw line for a talk in between quarters after a displeased Clark received a technical foul with 2.7 seconds remaining in the first quarter.
And once the Sparks guard made the error of rushing to protect Clark in between McDonald’s free throw attempts.
“I think she was just trying to pick me up, I don’t think she realized she had another because of the technical,” Clark stated. “She didn’t say anything, just a kind person, honestly.”
The game was really terrible at points. The Sparks nailed a season-high 14 three-pointers, but they also committed 19 turnovers while the Fever only shot 38.2% from the field.
Indiana began the third quarter on an 11-0 run to grab a 43-37 lead, erasing a 37-32 halftime deficit. It was short-lived. Ultimately, a 55-48 third-quarter deficit was turned into a 76-63 lead in the fourth quarter by Los Angeles’ decisive 28-8 run, from which the Fever never recovered.
For Los Angeles, Dearica Hamby finished with 17 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists.
Despite foul problems, Aliyah Boston managed to contribute 17 points and 6 rebounds for the Fever. With 15 points from Kelsey Mitchell, Clark nailed 3 three-pointers and 13 of 15 free throws.
“I think everybody’s physical with me. They get away with things, you know, probably other people don’t,” Clark remarked. “It’s tough, but it’s a very physical game. That’s just professional basketball.”
On Thursday, the Sparks travel to Chicago for their second game of a three-game road trip, while the Fever host Seattle for their second straight home game.