Caitlin Clark matches WNBA record, but the Fever lose to the Dream

Indiana Fever’s Close Call Against Atlanta Dream

Kate Linklark secured another WNBA record, but her efforts weren’t enough in a close match. The Atlanta Dream narrowly edged out Clark’s Indiana Fever, finishing 91-90 in a nail-biter in Indianapolis on Tuesday night.

At halftime, Indiana was down 44-42, but Clark managed her second triple-double in as many games this season. However, the Dream went on an 11-0 run, which seemed to seal the game.

As the fourth quarter commenced, Clark made two long three-pointers and delivered some crafty assists, reducing the gap to four points. Indiana struggled to get closer for a while but eventually tied the game after a minute. Aliya Boston stepped up to the free-throw line with just 21.7 seconds on the clock, allowing the Fever to take the lead for the first time since scoring the opening basket. The foul was called against Boston after a play involving Britney Griner, who ended up fouling out.

But with just 9.7 seconds to go, Rhyne Howard from Atlanta hit two free throws, restoring a one-point lead for the Dream. Clark inbounded the ball but didn’t have another chance to score. Indiana missed two attempts to reclaim the lead, allowing Atlanta to secure the thrilling victory.

Clark finished the game with 27 points and 11 assists. This marked her tenth career game with at least 20 points and 10 assists, tying the WNBA record set by Courtney Vandersloot, who achieved this over 430 games compared to Clark’s 42.

Additionally, Clark recorded her 350th career assist in this game, making her the fastest player in WNBA history to reach that milestone. She’s also scored over 800 points, putting her fourth on the all-time fastest list for that achievement.

Griner contributed 21 points and eight rebounds. This match was the Fever’s first since the WNBA began investigating reports of “hate comments” allegedly aimed at Angel Rees during a recent game against Indiana. In that game, Clark’s Fever dominated, winning 93-58 but faced scrutiny due to the incident involving Rees.