The month break for the Indiana Fever and Caitlin Clark might have been what they needed the most. Clark was rushed from her college career ending at Iowa into the WNBA within a month and had no time to rest. So it may have been a blessing in disguise that Clark wasn't selected to travel to Paris for the Olympics.
It showed in the first game back for the Fever. The entire team looked re-energized, and they spent time in the film room and gym.
But not all Fever players were resting up during the break. Kristy Wallace represented Team Australia during the Paris Olympic games and returned to the league with a bronze medal. In addition, the city of Indianapolis celebrated the announcement of the 2025 WNBA All-Star Weekend, as it will be the first time that the state will be hosting the weekend.
The Fever also announced the mid-season report, which shows that the organization's 2024 has been record-breaking. Jersey sales are up 1,193%, and the Fever has set the single-game team store sales record for Gainbridge Fieldhouse four times. Ticket sales are top in the total WNBA home and away game attendance, and the Fever are also the most nationally viewed team, with 38 games on national television.
Aug. 16: Phoenix Mercury at Indiana
98-89 Fever
Compared to only Wallace representing Team Australia in Paris, the Phoenix Mercury had three Team USA members returning to the league after winning gold.
The Fever was in control for the entire first half, leading to 54-37 at the break. Clark found her shooting stride in the first quarter as she dropped 13 to help the Fever build a dominating lead. Midway through the second quarter, the Mercury went down in a 48-20 deficit.
Kelsey Mitchell also played a vital role in the Fever’s win as she made six 3-pointers and finished with 28 points. Aliyah Boston kept up with Brittney Griner and was in control of the matchup as she put up 14 points and nine rebounds. Clark finished her 10th double-double of the season with 29 points and 10 assists.
In the second half, the Mercury attempted to make a comeback, and the game was physical, as two scuffles broke out and technical fouls were assessed. Phoenix cut the halftime lead and went on a 25-7 run to take a one-point lead in the third quarter.
However, once Clark returned to the court and the Fever collected themselves by shooting and rebounding, they never found themselves trailing again. Overall, the Fever played better as a collective team and looked like a brand-new team compared to the Mercury, who looked tired on the court.
“Yeah, it was pretty fun. I think we came out with a lot of energy,” Clark said with a smile when asked about the fast start during the postgame. “I think there'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.”
Kahleah Copper had 32 points and eight rebounds, but the other Olympians, Diana Taurasi, and Griner, combined for only 26 points. Griner dealt with foul trouble and only grabbed four rebounds.
The win for Indiana gave them their first season sweep of any team since 2020.
Aug. 18: Seattle Storm at Indiana
92-75 Fever
The Fever were back in Gainbridge Fieldhouse to host the Storm on Sunday afternoon, and they once again looked fueled with energy. It could have been thanks to the electric crowd, but they all looked hungry to win.
Clark made history. She has 232 assists so far this season, surpassing Ticha Penciheiro's previous rookie record of 224 in 1998.
The game was back and forth and came down to the final quarter for the Fever to take complete control. Seatlle’s Jewell Loyd hit a jump shot that cut the deficit to one point with nine minutes to play. However, it was Damiris Dantas from Indiana who made a free throw a minute later, followed by Lexie Hull hitting two 3-pointers 35 seconds apart to lead the Fever on a 14-5 run that made it a 10-point game with 5:51 left in the game.
Skylar Diggins-Smith had a response with consecutive buckets to make it a six-point game soon after that sparked a 15-2 run. But Clark hit a 3-pointer, then assisted on 3s by Mitchell and Dantas to give the Fever a 19-point lead with 2:24 left.
Seattle had one Olympian in Loyd, who led them with 26 points. Diggins-Smith, who scored 15 points, and Nneka Ogqumike, who scored 14 points, nine rebounds and four steals, were the other two members of the Storm trio.
Hull had a career-best game, going 8-for-10 shooting and hitting a career-best six 3s on seven attempts. She scored a total of 22 points, which was a career-high. Mitchell scored 27, while Clark added 23 points and nine assists. Boston also grabbed 15 rebounds from the boards, scored nine points and had a career-high eight assists.
Since winning only three of 11 games to open the season, the Fever have won four of five overall and are 10-5 in the past 15 games. Clark is averaging 23.7 points on 47% shooting and averaging 11.7 assists as well. While she plays a big part in Fever’s success, the entire team looks more in sync, resulting in wins. Indiana is 13-15, which has matched its win total from last season, and still has 12 games remaining in the regular season.
HN's NFL Power Rankings: Week 16
