The sky was falling in Indiana after the Fever lost Game 1 to the Las Vegas Aces and Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell shot a combined 30 percent from the field.
Then in Game 2 on Tuesday night in Indiana, Clark’s shots started falling and the offense exploded, as CC had 14 points and 11 assists at the half. With Clark’s stat-stuffing first half she becmae the first player in WNBA history to have double digit points and assists at the half of a playoff game. The WNBA’s MVP candidate finished with 27 points, 15 assists, and seven rebounds in a crucial 99-89 victory.
When the WNBA’s golden goose breaks records the Fever usually wins. Despite fouling out with the Las Vegas Aces rallying in the fourth quarter, Clark’s supporting cast — led by center Aliyah Boston — hit some tough shots down the stretch and held off Jackie Young, A’ja Wilson and the Aces to tie the series at 1-1.
A’ja Wilson Confronts Fan In Stands
The highly competitive and well-executed game was marred by an altercation between Wilson and a fan in the fourth quarter. After Wilson got entangled with Sophie Cunningham, a fan apparently said something to Wilson and the four-time MVP went crazy, marching toward the fan, pointing and yelling, before the bench cleared and people in the vicinity intercepted her.
Wilson, who finished with 22 points and 9 rebounds, was assessed a technical foul for her actions. You could see other Indiana Fever players pointing out the perpetrators in the crowd.
The three-time WNBA champion addressed the incident in the postgame presser:
“I see a man come at me, taking steps towards me and pointing at me. I don’t give a damn what you said I don’t care how you said it the tone ..that is unacceptable. You don’t step towards me and point at me. I’m not for that sh*t at all,” Wilson warned.
WNBA fans were critical of Wilson’s actions and accused her of trying to distract attention from her poor performance by placing blame on the fans rather than taking it on the chin.
“A’ja Wilson Losing & Resorts To FIGHTING The Fans In INDY
Anything To Take Attention Away From The A** Whooping Caitlin Handed Out To Her
Take Your Loss Like A Big Girl Caitlin Did It In Game 1,” one fan posted on X adobe a video of Wilson’s outburst.
“Aja playing victim card,” one fan said on X.
“NBA players have said these women need to grow a pair. They hear sh-t from fans all the time and they just suck it up!” one netizen quipped.
“Oh Wow someone did the Sophie Point to Aja and she loses her mind!!” another fan who was critical of Wilson’s actions tweeted.
“Aja is a crying baby every game to the refs. She is an excellent player but definitely given preferential treatment. Big Baby!” another critique read.
Depending on what the league decides, Wilson could be in line for further disciplinary action, as WNBA rules and guidlines state that “players are strictly prohibted from confronting spectators or intitating physical escalations near the sidelines and stands.”
Meanwhile, that rush of emotion wasn’t enough to help Vegas come all the way back.
Clark Dominated Game 2 With 27 points, 15 assists, 7 Rebounds
Caitlin Clark joined the “NightCap” crew on Prime after her record-setting game.
“Caitlin came out and was controlling the pace,” co-host Swin Cash said in the postgame show.
Clark says the difference in this game was her team’s tenacity on the defensive end. Aja Wilson torched them for 38 points in Game 1, but only managed 22 points and plenty frustration on Tuesday.
“I thought we were just soft in game 1,” Clark said, “and tonight we played a lot tougher. I thought our aggressiveness was really good. We got down eight and clawed our way black. It was a mentality change. Obviously, it’s going to take a lot, and we have our hands full in Game 3.”
Clark has hit many big shots in her career but admits that she was leaving nothing to chance at halftime and feeling the pressure of facing elimination.
“I threw up everything in my stomach at halftime, just because I was that gassed. It just means we are working hard and are only guaranteed another 40 minutes. Proud of us for the way we were able to close it,” Clark added.
If Indiana continues to share the ball and play with the same precision. And if Becky Hammon doesn’t figure out a way to disrupt Clark’s total control of the game’s pace, then Game 3 could be the Fever’s get-back for last season’s semifinal loss to the Aces.
