Caitlin Clark and Indiana Fever take down Angel Reese, Chicago Sky to secure first home win
The first professional matchup between Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, which doubled as Kamilla Cardoso’s professional debut, did not disappoint. Clark and the Indiana Fever picked up their first home win of the season in dramatic fashion over the Chicago Sky, 71-70. The result also got the Fever off to a perfect start in the Commissioner’s Cup, which began with this game.
After the Fever built a nine-point lead late in the fourth quarter, it seemed they would coast to victory. Instead, the Sky came storming back and had a chance to tie the game in the closing seconds when Marina Mabrey was fouled by NaLyssa Smith. Mabrey only made one of two free throws, however, and the Fever ran out the clock on the other end to ensure they escaped.
Clark, who made her first two 3-pointers but went cold the rest of the way, finished with 11 points, eight rebounds, and six assists. She got plenty of help in this one, as Kelsey Mitchell led the team with 18 points, Smith went for 17 points and nine rebounds and Aliyah Boston added 10 points, eight rebounds, and four blocks.
On the other side, Reese just missed out on a double-double and registered eight points and 13 rebounds. Cardoso, who was making her return from a shoulder injury she suffered in training camp, was limited to 18 minutes, but was highly efficient when she was on the floor. She went for 11 points and six rebounds on 5-of-7 shooting. The Sky got a nice boost from Chennedy Carter, who came off the bench to put up 19 points and six assists.
Here are some key takeaways from the game:
Clark makes more history
Clark has been setting records all year long — first at Iowa and now for the Fever. Her latest accomplishment came in the second half of Saturday’s win when she grabbed a rebound off a miss from Michaela Onyenwere.
With that board, Clark joined Sabrina Ionescu as the only players to tally at least 150 points, 50 rebounds and 50 assists in their first 10 games. Due to injury, it took Ionescu two seasons to accomplish that feat. Clark is the first player to do it all in her rookie campaign.
Clark is up to 169 points, 54 rebounds and 65 assists for the season. The Fever have played more games than any other team, so it’s hard to compare her stats to other players. On a per-game basis, she’s at 16.9 points, 5.4 rebounds and 6.5 assists, and is on pace to be the first rookie to average at least 15/5/5.
Cardoso looks great in debut
Kamilla Cardoso was off to an impressive start in her first preseason game, but she had to leave the court due to a shoulder injury. It turned out to be the end of her training camp. The Sky soon announced she would be out for 4-6 weeks.
Cardoso beat that timeline to make her debut on Saturday. She came off the bench and only played 18 minutes as she works her way back to full fitness. Despite the limited playing time — which was also a result of foul trouble — Cardoso made a real impact and showed why she was the No. 3 overall pick.
Late in the first quarter, Cardoso jumped above everyone else to grab a lob pass from Chennedy Carter under the basket. Even at the professional level, it pays to be 6-foot-7. Cardoso missed just two shots all game, finishing with 11 points and six rebounds. You always have to be wary of single-game plus-minus numbers, but it’s worth noting the Sky were plus-11 in the one-point loss.
Reese continues her dominance on the glass
Angel Reese was a rebounding machine at LSU. She led the nation with 183 total offensive rebounds and finished second in rebounds per game at 13.4.
Through the first few weeks of the season, Reese has already established herself as one of the best rebounders in the league. We saw as much again on Saturday when Reese pulled down a game-high 13 boards, eight of which were offensive. She has the size and athleticism, but perhaps more importantly she has the relentless motor to match.
Reese ranks seventh in the league at 8.9 rebounds per game, and her 5.0 offensive rebounds per game are first by a wide margin. Only one other player — Yolanda Griffith in 2001 — has ever averaged at least five offensive boards.
Clark takes a cheap shot
Late in the third quarter, Caitlin Clark and Chennedy Carter went back and forth, both with their play and words. Carter then raised the stakes with a cheap shot. After scoring a basket, Carter threw a shoulder into Clark, sending the No. 1 overall pick to the ground.
Clark, who complained about what she saw as an officiating double standard earlier in the week, called the incident “not a basketball play” during her in-game interview. The referees did not upgrade the incident to a technical or flagrant, but it was deemed an away-from-the-play foul because it happened before the ball was inbounded.
