Following her groundbreaking achievement as the first rookie in WNBA history to record a triple-double, Caitlin Clark delivered another awe-inspiring performance. She scored 29 points, grabbed five rebounds, and dished out 13 assists in the Fever’s narrow defeat to the Mystics. This stellar effort distinguished her as the league’s first player to ever tally over 25 points, 10 assists, five rebounds, five steals, and five three-pointers in a single contest.
Clark’s late-game heroics brought Indiana within three points of the lead in the closing minutes, yet the Fever ultimately succumbed to an 89-84 loss.
“It’s really hard to win basketball games when you have 23 turnovers, especially when they lead to 23 points,” Clark reflected. “We really fought, and we battled, and we didn’t give up. But in this league, that’s still going to be really hard to overcome.”
Indiana’s formidable fourth quarter was overshadowed by their struggles in the preceding three, as the Mystics extended their lead to 22 points by the end of the third period.
“You can have a bad quarter, but you can’t have three bad quarters,” remarked coach Christie Sides. “One quarter, ok, we can manage that. But not a second or a third.”
Washington scored 76 of their 89 points in the first three quarters alone, leaving the Fever scrambling for a comeback in the final stretch.
Clark poured in 15 of her 29 points in the fourth quarter, during which the Fever outscored the Mystics 29-13. However, Indiana’s 23 turnovers proved insurmountable, directly contributing to 23 points for Washington.
“I wasn’t going to give up,” Clark emphasized. “It’s still really hard to win. You need everything to fall in your favor to really be able to complete the comeback… I wasn’t going to give up.”
Clark’s fourth consecutive double-double solidified her standing with the WNBA’s second-longest streak of games with double-digit points and assists. The record belongs to the New York Liberty’s Courtney Vandersloot, who achieved six such games.
Additionally, Clark became the fastest guard in WNBA history to accumulate 20 career blocks, registering three in the game. These blocks, combined with her five steals—two of which came in the final three minutes—underscore her status as the league’s only rookie with 20 steals and 20 blocks this season. She led the Fever’s valiant attempt to salvage an otherwise difficult game.
“If you’re going to be the point guard, then you have to be vocal for your team,” Clark stated. “I want to motivate them and encourage them and be somebody that they can lean on.”
Clark’s consistent performances have cemented her as a reliable force for her teammates, as she currently averages 16.1 points and 7.4 assists per game. If these numbers persist, she will become the first player in WNBA history to average over 16 points and seven assists in a season.
Her July statistics are equally historic, averaging 20.3 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 12.3 assists per game. Should she maintain this pace, Clark will achieve the WNBA’s first-ever month averaging 20 points and 10 assists.
Despite the loss to Washington, Clark remains a beacon of hope for the developing Indiana team. The Fever will now turn their attention to Friday’s game against the Phoenix Mercury at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, seeking to avenge an earlier season defeat.
