Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) and Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi (3) discuss at half courtroom throughout a free throw on June 30, 2024, at Footprint Middle in Phoenix. After practically a month off, famous person rookie guard Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever return to motion and proceed their pursuit of a spot within the WNBA playoffs after they host the Phoenix Mercury on Friday.
The Fever (11-15) misplaced to the Dallas Wings 101-93 of their ultimate sport earlier than the break for the Summer time Olympics. Indiana had received its earlier two video games earlier than dropping to Dallas, topping the Mercury and the Minnesota Lynx.
Earlier than the break, Clark tallied 10 assists and 4 factors in her first WNBA All-Star sport, serving to the WNBA All-Stars high the U.S. Olympic crew. Two of her Fever teammates — Kelsey Mitchell and Aliyah Boston — had been additionally All-Stars. Mitchell scored 13 factors whereas Boston notched 4 factors.
Subsequent 12 months’s All-Star Sport will probably be performed in Indianapolis, the place Clark and her teammates will probably take middle stage in entrance of their residence followers.
Nevertheless, that is a methods away. Proper now, the Fever are hoping that the latest Olympic break has rejuvenated them as they shoot for a playoff berth.
“I believe the Olympic break undoubtedly does assist for a crew that hasn’t been collectively for a very long time, like us,” Fever guard Erica Wheeler stated. “To have the ability to get these practices and have the ability to get some actual runs in and actually hit it arduous and have days off I believe is tremendous necessary.”
Added Fever ahead NaLyssa Smith: “It has been large for us. It is time to work on us. You get to work on the small issues, defensively, offensive rebounds.”
Clark is averaging 17.1 factors and a league-leading 8.2 assists whereas capturing 32.7 p.c from 3-point vary. The Olympic break offered a breather for Clark, who performed in her ultimate faculty sport on April 7 after which made her preseason WNBA debut on Might 3. Basically, the rookie has been enjoying practically continuous since final November.
Talking of breaks, the three Olympians on the Mercury did not get a lot of 1. Diana Taurasi, Kahleah Copper and Brittney Griner will probably be enjoying of their second sport since getting back from France with Workforce USA’s eighth consecutive gold medal. Behind 29 factors from Copper, the Mercury (14-12) beat the host Chicago Sky 85-65 on Thursday of their return to WNBA motion.
“The thrilling factor for us and her is that we had been getting her in her prime,” first-year Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts stated of Copper.
Copper, who performed essential minutes within the fourth quarter and hit the game-winning free throws in Workforce USA’s gold medal win over France, ranks second within the WNBA in scoring this season with a mean of 23.4 factors per sport.
“That is what Kah does,” Taurasi stated of Copper. “She’s competed all 12 months for us and we knew when issues get tight, she’s at all times the other. She will be able to do issues that nobody else can do on our crew — nationwide crew or right here on the Mercury.”
–Discipline Degree Media