What began as a night of sheer panic ended in jubilation for Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever, who secured a hard-fought 84-79 win over the Atlanta Dream. Clark, the rookie sensation, sent shockwaves through the arena when she crumpled to the floor in agony just seven minutes into the game. As fans held their breath and clutched their pearls, Clark’s evening seemed doomed to an early end. But, like a phoenix rising from the ashes—or maybe just a rookie refusing to be sidelined—Clark dusted off the scare, strapped on some tape, and promptly got back to doing what she does best: scoring buckets.
Clark’s night started with a gasp as she attempted to navigate a screen, only to find her ankle betraying her. The ensuing scream and tumble sent her to the hardwood, where she stayed long enough for everyone to imagine the worst. The Fever’s training staff rushed to her aid, but in true superhero fashion, Clark waved them off, limped to the bench on her own, and glared at her ankle until it decided to behave.
While most mortals would have headed to the locker room for the evening, Clark had other plans. She plopped herself on the bench, got her ankle wrapped up, and watched the clock tick down the first quarter. Then, as if to remind everyone that she’s built differently, she re-entered the game at the start of the second quarter and promptly scored on Indiana’s first possession. The injury? Merely a hiccup. “I saw the replay and I look really soft,” Clark quipped post-game, downplaying the drama. “It wasn’t that bad.”
With Clark back on the court, the Fever didn’t miss a beat. The team stormed out of the gate with an 8-0 run and never looked back. Aliyah Boston put on a clinic in the paint, while Kelsey Mitchell dazzled like she was auditioning for a highlight reel. The Fever led by as much as 18 points, leaving the Dream wondering if they had walked into a nightmare.
Despite their recent hot streak, the Dream struggled mightily, particularly on offense. They’re last in the WNBA in scoring for a reason, and Monday’s game was no different. Atlanta managed to cut the lead to just two points in the final moments, but like a punchline with no setup, they just couldn’t deliver when it mattered most.
Mitchell led all scorers with a stellar 29 points, while Boston recorded a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds. As for Clark, she finished with 19 points, seven rebounds, seven assists, two steals, and a block, reminding everyone why she’s one of the most electrifying rookies the league has ever seen. And in case anyone forgot, she drained four threes, tying the record for most made 3-pointers by a rookie with 85.
The win was the Fever’s third in four games, pushing them to 14-16 on the season and into the No. 7 seed, which would end their eight-year playoff drought. And if that’s not enough excitement, the Fever’s next showdown is set for Wednesday against the Connecticut Sun, where Clark will undoubtedly have another chance to amaze—or scare the daylights out of her fans.
And speaking of fans, the Caitlin Clark effect was on full display. The Dream had to move the game to the much larger State Farm Arena to accommodate the flood of Clark fans. The arena, typically home to the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks, was packed to the rafters, with 17,608 fans setting a new record for WNBA attendance in Georgia. If you weren’t lucky enough to snag a seat, you probably heard the cheers echoing across the city.
So, was it a scary start? Absolutely. But like any great thriller, it’s the ending that people will remember—and Caitlin Clark delivered.
