It’s been a record-breaking week in the WNBA. The Indiana Fever fans looked hopeless as they thought history was about to repeat itself while they played against the New York Liberty at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Three records were broken in this intriguing game. One for the Fever franchise and the remaining two for their star rookie, Caitlin Clark. It takes a team to win a game and the Indiana Fever proved it with their performance against Liberty.
What were some pivotal moments during this game?
Indiana Fever vs New York Liberty Recap
The Indiana Fever started dominating the game in the first quarter with the lead of Caitlin Clark’s three-point shot. Clark’s game was different and this stemmed from her last two games.
In the first three minutes of the first quarter, the Fever team went on an 8-0 run. This run gave this Fever team hope of breaking a record. However, the Liberty were poised and focused on making their run to take the lead. The first quarter ended with the Fever leading 24-18.
In the second quarter, the Fever team’s confidence improved. However, the Liberty team’s confidence became stronger when Kyla Thornton made a three-point shot to bring the Liberty team close to the lead from a 12-point deficit. Finally, the second quarter finished with a one-point margin in favor of the Fever team 39-38.
The Second Half Drama
Entering into the second half of the game, the New York Liberty were ready to close out the game. On the other hand, the Indiana Fever let their guard down, excluding Caitlin Clark. She had been explosive throughout the game to help her team maintain competitiveness.
The Liberty team took the lead to prove why they were the No. 1 seed in the WNBA league. Thus, at the end of the third quarter, the Liberty led by seven.
With this performance from the Liberty, it was certain that history would repeat itself. Also, the Liberty maintained the lead in the fourth quarter to limit the odds of the Indiana Fever taking the lead.
The Final Minute Madness
Now, the Liberty team forgot that the Fever had a potential 2024 Rookie of the Year who had been explosive throughout the game. Caitlin Clark’s heat map on the court diminished the Liberty’s effort to win the game.
After making WNBA history during the game, Clark dished an assist to Kelsey Mitchell who made an open three-point shot that tied the game at 75. Aliyah Boston and Lexie Hull followed with a layup to put them in the lead 79-75.
Liberty’s Sabrina Ionescu three-pointer made the Fever fans anxious as the score became 79-78 with Fever leading with one point. 30 left in the game and Liberty took a full timeout.
After the timeout, tension arose on the court as history could repeat itself. However, the Fever didn’t allow that as Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell made their free throws to clinch an 83-78 win.
Caitlin Clark Makes WNBA And Franchise History
Caitlin Clark is the number one overall pick and candidate for the 2024 Rookie of the Year award. Her recent performance earned her her first All-Star game slot this 2024-25 season.
The Fever guard would have made history during her team’s win against the Phoenix Mercury (88-82) as she bagged 15 points, 12 assists, and nine rebounds. However, two games later, she made WNBA history as the first rookie in the league and her franchise to clinch a triple-double feat.
The 22-year-old guard got 19 points, 13 assists, and 12 defensive rebounds to help lead her team to victory over the Liberty. Also, the guard’s performance helped the franchise to claim its first win against the Liberty in 10 games. Currently, Clark is averaging 16.1 points, 7.4 assists, and 6.0 rebounds.
Final Thoughts
It was an incredible game that kept fans on the edge of their seats. Caitlin Clark is a good playmaker as she converted her 12 defensive rebounds into points for her team through assists. Her odds of becoming the 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year were low, however, with this incredible performance, she could come out on top in the ROY race. The Fever are now 9-13 this year and are looking to clinch a playoff spot.
About the Author
Wisdom is an email and brand copywriter with two years of content writing experience. He started Cloud Kitchen Concept to help startups and business owners elevate their brands from good to great. You can connect with him on LinkedIn and Instagram to enjoy cooked meals for your business’s growth.
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