Caitlin Clark started fast and finished with 29 points and 10 assists while Kelsey Mitchell scored 28 points to help the Indiana Fever fend off a furious second-half rally from the Phoenix Mercury for a critical 98-89 victory Friday night.
The Indiana Fever’s first victory over the Phoenix Mercury this season, on June 30, is the game that rookie Caitlin Clark believes was a turning point for her team. A third win Friday over the Mercury — 98-89 as Indiana played its first game since the Olympic break — completed a season sweep and moved the Fever closer to a long-awaited playoff spot.
Indiana still has 13 regular-season games to go. But the Fever are in seventh place, a game ahead of eight-place Chicago and three in front of ninth-place Atlanta. The top eight teams make the WNBA playoffs, which Indiana hasn’t done since 2016.
After a tough schedule contributed to a 1-8 start, Indiana is now 12-15, and Clark continues to make WNBA history. With 29 points — one off her season high — 10 assists and 5 rebounds Friday, she became the first WNBA rookie to have multiple games of at least 25 points/10 assists/5 rebounds. It was her second such game this season.
Clark had a WNBA record 19 assists in the Fever’s last game before the break, on July 17. With 10 assists Friday, her total of 29 is the second highest by a WNBA player in any two-game span.
