Aliyah Boston #7, Caitlin Clark #22, Lexie Hull #10 and NaLyssa Smith #1 walk down the court during a timeout in the first half of their game against the Connecticut Sun at Mohegan Sun Arena on September 22, 2024 in Uncasville, Connecticut. (Photo by Joe Buglewicz/Getty Images)
Caitlin Clark got off to a rocky start in her first career playoff game on Sunday as the Connecticut Sun defeated the Indiana Fever 93-69 in Game 1 of their best-of-three first-round series.
Clark started 0 of 7 three-pointers and didn’t make her first long-range shot until midway through the third quarter. She finished the game with 11 points on 4 of 17 shooting, 8 assists, 4 rebounds and 2 turnovers.
The Sun lost Tyasha Harris early in the game to an ankle injury. She played less than four minutes and was benched in walking boots toward the end of the game.
The Sun were led by midseason signee Marina Mabrey, who scored 27 points on 9 of 20 shooting. Mabrey was acquired in July via a transfer from Chicago. DeWanna Bonner also had a good game for Connecticut, scoring 22 points on 7 of 11 shooting, and DiJonai Carrington put up a great, physical defensive effort against Clark.
Clark was minus-20 and sank 2 of 13 three-pointers. The Fever were led by Kelsey Mitchell with 21 points and Aliyah Boston had 17 points and 11 rebounds.
It was an uneven, physical game, and the Sun limited the Fever’s ability to run and play quickly. There were several stoppages and play reviews early on, further limiting Indiana’s ability to gain momentum.
The Fever will have to make some adjustments to release Clark and get into transition to make this a series.
Connecticut hosts the second game on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. ET.
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Sun wins game 1 93-69
Clark hasn’t shot well in this building. Her record: 11 points (4-17/2-13/1-2), eight assists, four rebounds, three steals, one block, two turnovers.
It’s one of the best scoring and shooting games of the entire season for the Sun, and they needed it. Game 2 is Wednesday night, and the Fever’s season is on the line. The announcer at the arena notes that there were many “22” in the building to score a point for the Sun, and says it was “natural” for DeWanna Bonner’s 22 points.
Christie Sides had already called the game while the substitutes were still waiting for her, and DiJonai Carrington hit a three-pointer to bring home the point. Fever called a timeout to bring Katie Lou Samuelson, Kristy Wallace, Victaria Saxton, Grace Berger and Dantas onto the court.
Thomas was down for about a minute. She gets up, immediately tags out and goes to the bench so a trainer can examine her right lower leg. That’s the last thing Sun fans want to see. There’s absolutely no reason to keep her in at this point either.
Alyssa Thomas, the driving force behind triple doubles, has 12 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists with 3:53 left to play.
I spoke to Mabrey yesterday about joining the Sun in the middle of the season and how there are big differences in playoff experience between the Sun and the Fever. She sees herself in the middle and can use both to her advantage.
“I have both energies. I have some experience as a veteran, but I’m also pretty young. So I’m going to try to bring my energy that I have from being young, but also use my head and my IQ.”
Mabrey has playoff experience, but mostly on a young team like the Fever. She played for the Wings in 2021-22 and the Sky in 2023. The 2022 Wings team won Game 2 of the first-round series against the Sun, forcing a third home game that they ultimately lost.
oh my goodness, Marina Mabrey. Have a nice day.
Clark finds Fagbenle in transition and seems to score points quickly until DiJonai Carrington blocks the ball and the arena erupts in loud roars.
4Q: Sun 68, Fever 57
The Sun defense is holding the Fever just under its 85-point average, but Indiana has closed bigger gaps. It looks like Marina Mabrey’s game so far, with a quick 18 points. Bonner and Mabrey are the leading scorers with 18 points each. Mitchell has 16 for Indiana.
Thomas is on the verge of another triple-double in the postseason. She has 12 points, nine rebounds and nine assists.
This is the entertaining game we all expected. The pace has picked up significantly. Marina Mabrey hits a 3-pointer over Clark and gives her a little speech before they head back. Two of the most notorious trash talkers in the league. Clark hits one over Mabrey.
There it is. Clark’s first 3 of the day, off an assist from Mitchell. But Mabrey answers on the other end. Fever turns the game around and Mabrey scores again. Sun leads 58-46, just before the halfway point of the third quarter.
Suns’ biggest lead grows to nine, 52-43, and Fever calls a timeout with 7:07 left. Clark is still 3 down, while Boston and Hull each have three fouls.
Clark misses another three-pointer after sinking two in a row at halftime. Fever looks hesitant on offense.
Clark is out here sinking a couple of threes during halftime warmups. She’s 1-9 and has missed all six three-point attempts. Four assists, two steals, one block and zero (yes, zero) turnovers. That stat line is right for the Fever despite their poor shooting day so far. Kelsey Mitchell leads the Fever with 11 points and Damiris Dantas, one of the few Fever players with playoff experience, has scored 10 off the bench.
Bonner has 16 points with three assists and Thomas has 12 points, seven rebounds and four assists.
HALF: Sun 46, fever 38
The final few minutes of the second quarter were lost to the Fever, who looked disheveled on both sides as the Sun went on an 8-0 run, giving Connecticut the largest lead of the game at eight points.
Man, you can’t praise Lexie Hull’s defensive impact enough. She just came out of nowhere to grab lost rebounds and give the Fever second and third chances.
Sun 32, fever 30
The Fever keep losing Alyssa Thomas, which isn’t even close to a good idea.
Clark is substituted on after two minutes on the bench. Still a game with only one possession.
1Q: Sun 23, fever 20
Sun does a good job of limiting the Fever in transition and that helps them as the Fever are 2 of 8 three-pointers. DeWanna Bonner (4 of 6 overall, 2 of 2, 10 points) and Alyssa Thomas (3 of 6, 6 points) lead the Sun’s offense.
