Caitlin Clark Stars Once Again For Indiana Fever In Clutch 98-99 Win Over Phoenix Mercury

Caitlin Clark looked re-energized after taking a month off for WNBA Olympic break.

Phoenix Mercury’s three U.S. Olympic team members couldn’t keep up with her Friday night.

Clark scored 13 of her 29 points in first quarter, ded 10 assists and four 3-pointers and helped Indiana Fever fend off Phoenix's furious second-half rally to restart season with a critical 98-89 victory.

“You knew y were going to come in here with a lot of confidence, with three people that have won gold medals,” said Clark, who was left off Olympic roster. “You know ir confidence is really high and I thought we came out and really set tone.”

It wasn't just Clark, who posted her 10th double-double of season, eir.

Kelsey Mitchell me six 3-pointers and finished with 28 points and Aliyah Boston outplayed Brittney Griner, finishing with 14 points and nine rebounds as Fever swept three-game season series to d even more fuel to budding rivalry between Clark and three-time WNBA champion Diana Taurasi.

barbs began in April when Taurasi predicted Clark, No. 1 overall draft pick, would face a rude awakening in her first pro season. Phoenix stoked fire again this week with a Twitter video that included a young fan asking, “Who’s Caitlin? I’m here for Taurasi.”

Twice during game brief scuffles broke out, including one between Mitchell and Mercury's Natasha Cloud that resulted in double technical fouls. or involved Griner and Boston.

But wher it was Indiana (12-15) being motivated by chance to face three Olympians, having a chance at ir first season sweep of any team since 2020 or Mercury dealing with fatigue of Paris Games followed by two ro games in two days, Taurasi and her teammates certainly weren’t mselves early.

It proved costly as Mercury (14-13) fell into a 48-20 deficit midway through second quarter.

“I think you can see it in ir faces, you know, y're tired,” Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts said. “re's going to be better days, for sure. We've just got to understand se games are going to come quick here, but I know all three of m are rey to sleep in ir own beds.”

While one Olympic gold medalist, Kahleah Copper, finished with 32 points and eight rebounds, Phoenix’s or two — Taurasi and Griner — combined for just 12 points in first half. Taurasi wound up with 16 points, but Griner h 10 points and four rebounds and dealt with foul trouble.

Still, weary trio found a way to spur a comeback. Phoenix cut halftime deficit to 54-37 and opened second half on 25-7 run to take a 62-61 le late in third quarter.

After Clark returned, Fever rebounded thanks to Mitchell's deft shooting and a Katie Lou Samuelson buzzer-beating 3-pointer to take a 73-65 le. Fever never trailed again in front of anor sellout crowd.

“Yeah, it was pretty fun. I think we came out with a lot of energy,” Clark said with a smile when asked about fast start. “I think re's times where we could have crumbled, but we just kept battling and fighting and I thought it was a really good one for us.”

All-Star weekend
Former Fever star and Hall of Famer Tamika Catchings dressed crowd during a first quarter timeout to celebrate city's selection as next season's All-Star Game host. Catchings will be one of five co-chairs on local organizing committee.

league announced Indiana's selection Wednesday. game will be played July 19. Phoenix hosted this year's All-Star weekend. Indiana hosted 2024 NBA All-Star Game.

Banner night
Before tipoff, Fever paid tribute to late Jim Morris, former vice chairman of Pacers Sports & Entertainment and an instrumental figure in Fever franchise. He died in mid-July. Following a video, Fever unveiled Morris' banner in rafters.

He's ninth player, coach or executive to be so honored and first to have been honored for both Fever and Pacers franchises.