Caitlin Clark Scores 19 Points Despite Injury Scare in Indiana Fever’s Win
What began as a concerning evening transformed into a triumph for Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever.
The promising rookie bounced back from an early injury scare while her team defeated the Atlanta Dream 84-79 on Monday night. Clark contributed with 19 points.
Just seven minutes into the match, Clark tried to navigate around a screen and appeared to twist her left ankle. She fell to the ground, crying out in discomfort.
Holding her left ankle, Clark remained on the floor as training staff rushed to assist her, but she managed to walk off to the Fever bench unaided. While the game was paused, she had her ankle examined on the sideline.
Fortunately, Clark did not go to the locker room and stayed on the sidelines as the quarter concluded. The injury seemed minor, as she returned to play at the start of the second quarter, quickly scoring on Indiana’s first possession. After the game, Clark mentioned that the injury was not serious and that all she needed was some tape for her ankle.
“After watching the replay, I look kind of silly,” she quipped. “It really wasn’t that serious.”
Apart from Clark’s injury scare, it was an excellent night for the Fever. They began the game with an impressive 8-0 lead that they never lost. Aliyah Boston made her impact felt in the paint right away, while Kelsey Mitchell shined throughout the game. Indiana even led by as many as 18 points.
Although Atlanta was not in playoff contention, they had performed well since the Olympic break, winning their first three games in August before losing to the Phoenix Mercury last Friday.
However, Atlanta struggles offensively, ranking last in the WNBA in points per game (75.8) and field goal percentage (41%). On Monday, they managed to shoot only 37% against Indiana. The Dream rallied in the fourth quarter, narrowing the gap to just two points and had a chance to tie in the closing moments, but failed to convert. Indiana now holds a 3-0 record against Atlanta this season.
Leading the scoring for Indiana was Mitchell with 29 points. Boston also contributed a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds.
The Caitlin Clark phenomenon continues to draw significant crowds. The Dream usually play at the Gateway Center Arena with a capacity of 5,000. However, with Clark in attendance, the game was relocated to State Farm Arena, which hosts the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks and can seat just under 17,000 fans.
The arena reached full capacity, and the demand was so high that only standing room tickets were available. The Dream reported an attendance of 17,608, marking it the largest crowd for a Dream game and the highest attendance for a WNBA match in Georgia history.
Caitlin Clark’s Performance
Clark concluded the game with 19 points, alongside seven rebounds, seven assists, two steals, one block, and two turnovers. She made 6 of 14 shots and went 4 for 9 from three-point range. With these four made three-pointers, Clark has now tallied 85 three-pointers this season, tying with Rhyne Howard, the 2022 first overall pick, for the most three-pointers by a rookie.
Clark is also climbing the ranks for total points scored by a rookie in WNBA history. She has now scored 539 points, placing her 15th on the all-time rookie scoring list. Seimone Augustus holds the record with 744 points set in 2006.
This latest victory marks Indiana’s third win in four games, bringing their record to 14-16 this season. The Fever currently sit in the 7th seed in the WNBA, positioning them for their first playoff appearance in eight seasons. Indiana’s next game is on Wednesday against the Connecticut Sun.