In a game that could best be described as a rollercoaster ride through the wildest WNBA terrain, the Indiana Fever’s recent hot streak hit an unexpected speed bump—a Napheesa Collier-sized one. After taking four wins in their last five outings, Caitlin Clark and her crew were brought back down to earth, courtesy of the Minnesota Lynx and their not-so-secret weapon, Collier.
Despite the Fever showing up with four players in double-digits, they couldn’t outshine the brilliance of four-time All-Star and human highlight reel, Napheesa Collier, who single-handedly reminded everyone why she’s a gold medalist.
Clark, who’s been dazzling the league with her rookie exploits, found herself in an unfamiliar situation: the receiving end of an “oh no she didn’t” moment. Reflecting on her attempts to guard Collier, Clark admitted, “There were a few times she made shots, and I was like, ‘dang, can’t guard that.’” Now that’s some honest praise wrapped in rookie humility!
The night started off rough for the Fever, falling behind 29-16 after a first quarter that left fans wondering if Indiana had forgotten how to basketball. But just when it seemed the Fever were about to become the latest victims of a Minnesota mugging, they clawed back, reducing the deficit to a single point by halftime. Cue hope. But alas, hope is a four-letter word in the Lynx’s dictionary, and they weren’t about to let Indiana spoil the party. The Lynx shot a scorching 50% from the field, effectively saying, “Thanks for playing, Indiana. Better luck next time!”
Collier was on fire, torching the Fever defense with 31 points on a ridiculously efficient 12-of-18 shooting. She even threw in five rebounds, an assist, a steal, and a block for good measure, just to make sure everyone remembered who the real MVP was. On the other side, Clark put up a respectable 23 points, eight assists, five rebounds, and a steal—solid numbers, but not enough to outshine the Lynx star.
With this win, the Lynx extended their winning streak to six games, leaving Fever fans clutching their pearls and crossing their fingers for the playoffs. As for Indiana, their 13-16 record has them sitting precariously in seventh place, with the Chicago Sky creeping up in the rearview mirror, only 1.5 games behind. Someone cue the suspenseful music!
The Fever, who started the season 1-8 (yikes!), have managed to turn things around thanks to the dynamic trio of Clark, Kelsey Mitchell, and Aliyah Boston. Clark is leading the team with 17.8 points, 8.3 assists, and 1.4 steals per game, proving she’s not just a one-trick pony. Meanwhile, Boston is dominating the boards with nine rebounds per game, and Mitchell is lighting it up with 17.7 points per contest.
Indiana hasn’t seen playoff action since 2016, and if they don’t want to extend that streak, they’ll need to channel their inner comeback queens and keep the momentum rolling. But with Caitlin Clark at the helm and a no-quit attitude, anything’s possible—just don’t expect them to let Collier off the hook next time!