Caitlin Clark excelled with 27 points and 11 assists, but the Indiana Fever fell at home to the Atlanta Dream 91-90 on Tuesday.
However, the Fever had trouble stopping the Atlanta offense, which was led by Brittney Griner (21 points, eight rebonds) and Rhyne Howard (20 points).
Indiana trailed 89-80 with 4:09 left but went on a 10-0 run for a 90-89 lead with 21.1 seconds remaining.
After an Indiana timeout, Fever forward Natasha Howard had a shot for the win, but Dream forward Nia Coffey got the block.
Clark got hot in the fourth in response, hitting back-to-back threes to cut the Dream lead to 80-76.
Despite Caitlin Clark’s outstanding performance of 27 points and 11 assists, the Indiana Fever lost to the Atlanta Dream 91-90 at home on Tuesday.
Clark, who is only two games into her second season, had yet another outstanding performance. According to Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press, Clark now holds the record for the most 25-point, 10-assist games in WNBA history.
But the Atlanta offense, which was led by Rhyne Howard (20 points) and Brittney Griner (21 points, eight rebounds), was too strong for the Fever to contain.
Indiana went on an 10-0 run to take a 90-89 lead with 21 points and 1 second left after trailing 89-80 with 4:09 left. On the other end, Howard made both of her free throws after being fouled on a shot attempt.
Fever forward Natasha Howard had a chance to win after an Indiana timeout, but Dream forward Nia Coffey blocked her. After regaining her rebound, Howard attempted a 12-foot shot from the baseline, but the game-winning basket missed.
After a foul attempt by Indiana to prolong the game, Atlanta got the board and won the game in the last three seconds.
After scoring 20 points, dishing out 10 rebounds, and grabbing 10 rebounds in the team’s resounding 93-58 victory over the Chicago Sky at home in the regular season opener last Saturday, Clark had another fantastic game.
The outcome, however, was different because the Fever found it difficult to stop the Dream’s offensive run, particularly in the third quarter when Atlanta led 76-65 going into the fourth. In the third quarter, Rhyne Howard made three noteworthy three-pointers.
In response, Clark scored two three-pointers in a row in the fourth quarter, cutting the Dream’s lead to 80-76. She made five three-pointers that night.
In the middle of the frame, Indiana cooled off, but Griner had a great fourth, making two layups. After spending eleven seasons with the Phoenix Mercury, the ten-time WNBA All-Star is playing her first season in Atlanta.
However, despite the 10-0 run, Indiana didn’t lose easily. After Kelsey Mitchell made a three to start the run, Clark and Aliyah Boston famously made back-to-back baskets to reduce Atlanta’s lead to 89-87 with 1:21 remaining. With 21 points and 1 second remaining, Boston made one of two free throws to take a 90-89 lead after another Mitchell basket (off a Boston assist) tied the game.
Tonight, all three of them performed admirably. Boston finished with 10 rebounds in addition to his 24 points, which Mitchell also had.
However, the Fever lost 1-1, so a victory was not in the cards. On Saturday at 1 p.m., Indiana will travel to the New York Liberty, the reigning champions. A. ET.
