Caitlin Clark, the standout rookie for the Indiana Fever, faced challenges in her playoff debut, scoring 11 points on 4-of-17 shooting, including 2-of-13 from beyond the arc, in a 93-69 loss to the Connecticut Sun in Game 1 on Sunday.
“I felt like I got good shots, they just didn’t go down,” Clark said postgame. “Obviously a tough time for that to happen. I got some really good looks, I had two pretty wide-open threes in the first half that I usually make, so that’s tough. I felt like I battled and tried my best, took care of the ball better than I usually do.”
Kelsey Mitchell was the leading scorer for the Fever with 21 points, while Aliyah Boston contributed 17 points and 11 rebounds. Clark also led the team with eight assists despite her shooting struggles.
At just 22 years old, Clark was named Rookie of the Year by The Associated Press and finished fourth in the MVP voting, which was awarded to A’ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces. During the game, Clark was poked in the eye by Sun guard DiJonai Carrington.
“We were right there. I felt like we played a crappy game,” Clark stated. “The flow of the game was really bad. I don’t know if that was reffing. It was partly us because we struggled to get stops at times, but also the clock getting messed up. It was one thing after the next.”
This game marked the Fever’s first playoff appearance since 2016. They entered the postseason as the No. 6 seed, while Connecticut secured the No. 3 seed.
Sun reserve guard Marina Mabrey had an impressive performance, leading her team with 27 points, the highest total ever recorded by a player coming off the bench in a WNBA playoff game. Additionally, veteran forward Alyssa Thomas achieved a triple-double with 12 points, 10 rebounds, and 13 assists.
The Fever now face elimination as Connecticut has the opportunity to close out the series in Game 2 on Wednesday.
