What began as a frightening evening turned into a triumph for Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever.
The standout rookie overcame an early injury as her team powered to an 84-79 win over the Atlanta Dream on Monday night. Clark contributed 19 points.
Just seven minutes into the game, Clark appeared to roll her left ankle while trying to navigate a screen. She immediately collapsed to the floor, crying out in pain.
Clark remained down, clutching her left ankle as trainers rushed to her aid. Despite the injury, she managed to walk off the court on her own and headed to the Fever bench, where her ankle was examined during a timeout.
Clark stayed on the bench as the first quarter ended and did not head to the locker room. The injury seemed minor, as she returned at the start of the second quarter and immediately scored on Indiana's first possession. After the game, Clark downplayed the incident, saying, “It wasn’t a big deal, just needed a little tape,” even jokingly adding, “I saw the replay and I look really soft. It wasn’t that bad.”
Aside from Clark’s brief scare, it was a great night for Indiana. The Fever opened the game with an 8-0 run, establishing a lead they never gave up. Aliyah Boston dominated in the paint early, while Kelsey Mitchell showcased her offensive brilliance throughout the game. Indiana led by as many as 18 points.
Despite being out of the playoff picture, Atlanta had been one of the hottest teams since the Olympic break, winning their first three games in August before falling to the Phoenix Mercury on Friday. However, the Dream's offensive struggles resurfaced on Monday. Atlanta, ranked last in the WNBA in points per game (75.8) and field goal percentage (41%), shot just 37% against Indiana. They made a late rally in the fourth quarter, cutting the lead to two points and even having a chance to tie in the final moments, but couldn't convert. Indiana now holds a 3-0 season record against Atlanta.
Mitchell led all scorers with 29 points, while Boston added a double-
double with 14 points and 11 rebounds.
The Caitlin Clark effect is still in full swing. Typically, the Atlanta Dream play their home games at Gateway Center Arena, which seats 5,000. However, with Clark and the Indiana Fever in town, the game was moved to State Farm Arena, home of the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks, which holds nearly 17,000.
The arena was packed, with standing room only tickets sold due to high demand. The Dream reported an attendance of 17,608, marking not only the largest crowd in Dream history but also the highest attendance for a WNBA game in Georgia.