Indiana Fever sensation Caitlin Clark continued making landmark after landmark in the WNBA, becoming the fastest player ever to reach 300 career assists in her team’s 104-100 overtime win over the Atlanta Dream on Sunday.
In the Fever’s comeback win, the 22-year-old recorded 26 points, 12 assists and five rebounds for franchise-high 14 double-doubles this season. In addition, she drilled four three-pointers, upping her total this season to 111 points to eclipse the mark she set as a rookie at the end of August.
With the performance, Clark capped a great evening for the last three WNBA No. 1 draft picks in Aliyah, who’s the overall first pick in 2023. Boston scored a career-high 30 points to go along with 13 rebounds, leading the Fever, but Rhyne Howard, who was taken first overall in 2022 for the Dream, erupted for 36 points.
Indiana was inconsistent at times in the game and were down 12-1 in turnovers heading into halftime. With just about seven minutes remaining in the third quarter, the Dream extended themselves to a 16-point advantage. The Fever answered by closing the quarter on an 18-5 run and trailed by just three points to begin the fourth.
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Atlanta extended their lead to nine points in the fourth quarter, but Indiana pulled away again. With eighteen seconds remaining, a basket by Boston off of Clark’s tenth assist tied the score at ninety.
It would take overtime to separate the two teams, with the Fever coming out on top 81-76. Indiana fell to 19-17 on the season as two free throws from Clark with seconds left put the game out of reach.
After the game, Clark remarked, “I thought we just kept chipping away, got stops when we needed to, and then the crowd was amazing and helped us get it done.”
On September 3, the Fever clinched a playoff berth, their first postseason appearance since 2016.
“At this point, we really just need to make sure that we’re maintaining our foot on the gas,” Boston remarked. Because of how we play, the speed at which we play, and the weapons we have all over the floor, I believe we know we’re extremely capable of defeating any team.
“No matter when the game is going on, even if we’re down, we can definitely come back.”
The loss severely damaged the Dream’s chances of earning the eighth and final postseason spot in the league. With one game behind the Chicago Sky, Atlanta is now 12-23 and ranked ninth in the WNBA standings.
The Dream’s Tina Charles and Jordin Canada scored 17 points, while Allisha Gray, with 15, was the team’s fourth double-digit player.
Angel Reese Out for Remainder of WNBA Season Due to Wrist Injury
Due to a wrist injury, Chicago Sky freshman Angel Reese—who leads the WNBA in both offensive and total rebounds per game this season—will be sidelined for the remainder of the campaign.
The news was revealed on Saturday night by The Sky. With the Atlanta Dream, Washington Mystics, and Dallas Wings remaining in the running for playoff spots, it’s a major setback for Chicago, who are now in the eighth and last slot.
There are still six regular-season games for the Sky.
What a year it has been. In remarks on X and Instagram, Reese made reference to the three-pointer she made on Friday during the fourth quarter of her team’s 92-78 victory over the Los Angeles Sparks. “I never would have imagined the last bucket of my rookie season would be a 3 but maybe that was God saying give them a taste of what they will be seeing more of in Year 2 lol,” Reese wrote.
I’ve proven throughout that I belong in this level, even in the face of doubts from others. My only goal in life has been to enter the W and have an influence. I’m sure I’ve done that, and I’ll make an effort to continue. I feel so many different things right now that I have a season ending injury, but also filled with so much gratitude for what is next.”
“Even if it’s God’s timing and not mine, I can now give myself a mental and physical vacation. Reese stated, “God sends his strongest soldiers into his hardest battles.”
In this year’s WNBA draft, Reese was selected with the seventh overall choice, so she was no stranger to creating history during her rookie campaign.
The former standout player from Louisiana State University established the record for the most rebounds in a single season on September 1st, surpassing Sylvia Fowles, the league’s all-time leader in rebounds who retired following the 2022 campaign.
In addition to shattering the single-season record for offensive rebounds, Reese has already recorded the most straight double-doubles (15) in league history and is the fastest player in WNBA history to earn 20 double-doubles.
Reese became only one of two players in league history to record 26 double-doubles in a single season.
