Subscribe
Follow Us
Caitlin Clark might take a little longer to fall asleep tonight following a tough 90-88 home loss versus the New York Liberty on Saturday afternoon. The Indiana Fever superstar knows she did not have close to her best effort, shooting 6-of-18 from the field and committing a ghastly 10 turnovers. Even on a bad day, however, the 2024 Rookie of the Year still managed to make some incredible history.
Clark's 18 points and 10 assists vault her above Chelsea Gray for the most double-doubles by a guard in WNBA history, per Polymarket Hoops. She has played in just 44 regular season games in her career, illustrating just how prodigious a talent this 23-year-old is. While it may seem hyperbolic and controversial to say, the evidence suggests that Clark is on track to become one of the greatest players the league has ever seen.
Unfortunately, though, the All-WNBA First-Team selection also posted a triple-double versus the Liberty, the kind no one wants. Turnovers have been an issue for the transcendent athlete dating back to last year — led the league by a margin of 78. Mistakes are more common for players who have the ball in their hands as much as Clark, but she must tighten up. The Fever's ceiling is tied to her performance.
The fact that Indy almost beat the defending champions without its No. 1 meeting her standard shows just dangerous the squad is this year. Clark's 3-point shooting struggles continued, as she went just 2-of-11 from distance. It is important to note, though, that those buckets came on a four-point play and via a third-quarter buzzer-beater. Again, even when the phenom is off, she still manages to captivate fans.
Article Continues Below
Fever lose a heartbreaker
The Fever led by 12 points early in the fourth quarter, but the Liberty came storming back and pulled ahead for good after Sabrina Ionescu made two free throws with just over two seconds left on the clock. Caitlin Clark lost the ball on Indiana's final possession, a play the franchise cornerstone and head coach Stephanie White argued was a foul. No whistle was blown, and the Fever walked off their home court in disappointment.
This contest did not feel like the fourth game of the campaign. The excitement and drama was palpable, making for a playoff-like atmosphere in Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Indiana Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton, the postseason hero himself, was in attendance to witness the clash. Losing a game such as this one is bound to linger.
And that is great news for Clark and her teammates. Learning from anguish and using it as fuel is how greats become legends. As the double-double feat suggests, immortality is indeed the bar this woman is chasing.
