What began as a concerning moment turned into a triumphant night for Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever.
Clark, who initially faced a troubling injury scare, helped her team secure an 84-79 victory over the Atlanta Dream on Monday. Despite the early setback, Clark finished the game with 19 points.
Just seven minutes into the matchup, Clark appeared to roll her left ankle while maneuvering through a screen. She collapsed on the court, visibly distressed and in pain. Although she remained on the floor briefly as the training staff attended to her, Clark managed to walk off to the Fever bench under her own power. She received treatment during a timeout but did not head to the locker room.
Caitlin Clark rolled her ankle. Hopefully she's okay😢😢😢#WNBA #FeverRising pic.twitter.com/zOvIjL3E5g
— AK (@Sudharsan_AK10) August 26, 2024
Reassured by the injury’s minimal severity, Clark returned to action at the start of the second quarter and quickly made an impact, scoring on Indiana’s first possession. Post-game, Clark downplayed the injury, noting that it was not severe and only required taping. “I saw the replay and I look really soft,” she joked. “It wasn’t that bad.”
Despite Clark’s scare, the Fever had a dominant performance. They kicked off the game with an 8-0 run, never relinquishing the lead. Aliyah Boston asserted her presence in the paint early, while Kelsey Mitchell dazzled offensively. Indiana extended their lead to as many as 18 points.
The Dream, despite being out of playoff contention, had shown strong form since the end of the Olympic break, winning their first three August games before falling to the Phoenix Mercury on Friday. However, Atlanta’s offensive struggles were evident as they shot just 37% from the field, contributing to their position as the lowest-scoring team in the league (75.8 points per game) and struggling with a 41% field goal percentage. Despite a late push that brought the game within two points, the Dream couldn’t convert in the final moments. Indiana remains undefeated against Atlanta this season with a 3-0 record.
Mitchell led the scoring with 29 points, and Boston added a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds.
The Caitlin Clark effect was evident as the game was moved to the larger State Farm Arena, home of the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks, due to high demand. The arena, which holds nearly 17,000, saw a record attendance of 17,608—making it the highest-attended WNBA game in Georgia history.
Clark’s performance included 19 points, seven rebounds, seven assists, two steals, one block, and two turnovers, shooting 6-for-14 overall and 4-for-9 from three-point range. Her four three-pointers brought her season total to 85, tying Rhyne Howard’s rookie record. Clark is also making strides up the rookie scoring charts, now with 539 points, ranking 15th for most points in a WNBA rookie season. Seimone Augustus holds the record with 744 points.
With the win, the Fever have triumphed in three of their last four games, improving their season record to 14-16. Indiana currently holds the No. 7 seed in the WNBA, positioning them for their first postseason berth in eight years. They will next face the Connecticut Sun on Wednesday night.
