Caitlin Clark missed her chance to get revenge for the alleged “throat punch” heard around the world. Her Indiana Fever met Alyssa Thomas’ Phoenix Mercury for the first time since Thomas became enemy of the state for her physical play against The WNBA’s golden goose.
Caitlin Clark Misses Phoenix Mercury Game With Back Issues
Clark, who has been battling back issues, sat out the second end of a back-to-back after playing against the Los Angeles Sparks.
Indiana used a collective effort by All-Stars Kelsey Mitchell (29 points, 8 assists, 3 steals) and Aliyah Boston (21 points, 9 boards), as well as some timely shooting by Sophie Cunningham (9 points) to edge the Mercury 92-89 on Thursday night.
The hotly contested battle ended the same as the last meeting on June 24th, without the fist-to-neck activity that led to death threats and racial slurs for Thomas. And more recently a letter addressed to WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert from House Republicans warning the WNBA to start protecting Clark against racial and violent targeting.
Sophie Cunningham Does Infamous Finger Point Following Win Over Mercury
This contest didn’t lead to any confrontations or wild narratives, but it did come down to the wire and Indiana’s best player, Kelsey Mitchell, sank the decisive bucket with less than 10 seconds left.
At the end of the contest Cunningham pointed to the crowd with what has become her signature move. During the drama with Phoenix last month, Cunningham pointed at Dewanna Bonner after their confrontation and it became an instance classic WNBA meme.
Some even suggested a silhouette of Cunningham pointing become the new WNBA logo. If you thought Cunningham was gonna keep it classy following the firestorm of chaos in the weeks that followed the June 24th meeting, think again.
Sophie is as sassy and provocative as she is a media darling in her role as Caitlin Clark’s blonde bombshell friend and enforcer.
The game didn’t include any fisticuffs but watching it live, you saw the tension and the back-and-forth that was going on between the players.
Thomas was chirping and so were the Fever players. The rivalry and lingering tensions from June weren’t going to go away just because Clark was on the bench.
Fans React To Sophie Cunningham Point After Win Over Mercury
Social media had an array of jokes in response to Cunningham’s latest finger-pointing statement.
Clark Should Have Played Revenge Game Against Thomas
You would think a “legend” who is “royalty” as some reputable basketball minds have called Clark, would make it her business to play against Thomas and drop 40 on her as a GOAT would.
Instead, Clark gets held out of what was probably one of the most anticipated WNBA games of the season considering what happened the last time Thomas and Clark and Cunningham were on the court together.
Back in the days, before the soap opera narrative took over women’s hoops, this would have been a classic grudge match with Clark fans eager to see her back up everything her fans have been saying about her skills and ability.
No better place to make Thomas pay for her indiscretions than on the court. And not the court of law, as some suggested that Thomas should be charged for her interaction with Clark.
Instead, unsatisfied fans will have to continue to shout racially divisive narratives and insist that players are trying to hurt Clark because she is white and straight and so much better than every other player in the league.
Must be fun when you never have to prove it. On the flip side, Indiana is once again showing that the team plays better when Clark is on the sidelines. It doesn’t mean she’s not very good and it doesn’t mean she can’t contribute to winning. But this version of Caitlin Clark is almost impossible to develop a well-rounded, unselfish team with.
Fans Call Out Indiana Fever’s Undefeated Record Without CC
The numbers don’t lie.
“A player can’t be the face of the league if their team is performing so well without them,” one fan said on X.
To which one Clark supporter replied: “Fever hadn’t made the playoffs in 7 years before Caitlin Clark got there NOW… All these narratives are being pushed for engagement.. Sh-t is brainrot.”
“Clark ain’t change shi*t,” one user challenged, “and she’s actually holding them back because she HAS to be featured since they’re forcing her to be face of the league.”
Clark fans will say anything to boost her and her detractors will find any reason to slight her. No conversation involving Clark seems too centered in reality.
Cunningham, however, is milking this cow every opportunity she gets and pointing a finger at the end of the game was her trying to feed a narrative, because that’s what’s gotten her paid and to a new level of celebrity — more than her performance on the court.
