'Caitlin from downtown:' Clark calls into Pacers radio show after blowout win over Cavs
Fever star joins Eddie White’s radio show after watching the Pacers' Game 4 win from a suite: 'The first half was probably the best offensive half I have ever seen in all of basketball.'
Caitlin Clark has been a regular at Pacers games over the last month, often watching from a suite alongside Indiana Fever teammates and staff.
On Sunday night, she and teammate Aliyah Boston were in the building to witness the Pacers’ dominant 129–109 Game 4 win over the Cavaliers, giving Indiana a 3–1 lead in their Eastern Conference semifinals series.
After the game, Pacers postgame radio host Eddie White had a surprise for listeners of the Pacers Radio Network. With Pacers alternate governor Steve Simon — son of team owner Herb Simon — already on the line, White introduced a special guest: Clark, the face of women’s basketball, calling in.
It was “Caitlin from downtown.”
“What a win!” she said. “The first half was probably the best offensive half I have ever seen in all of basketball. It was fun. Great half. Great game. Great win all around.”
The Pacers never trailed, led by as many as 44 points, and entered halftime ahead by 41: 80–39. It marked the most points the Pacers had ever scored in a half of a playoff game. They shot 60% from the field, including 12-of-18 from 3-point range, and held a 30–6 advantage in points in the paint.
White, host of “The World’s Greatest Postgame Show,” asked Clark if any of her teams had ever scored 80 points in a half.
(Note: The Fever averaged 85 points per game last season, her rookie year.)
“Never scored 80 in a half,” Clark replied. “We'd be lucky to hit 60. So, 80 and a game is pretty good for the most part. But 80 in a half — I was on my feet for that entire second quarter. It was pretty fun.”
Steve Simon is a regular listener who occasionally calls in. White once had Frank Vogel call in on the way to the airport, as well as other notable names (like Chuck Pagano). But never before had “Caitlin from downtown” made an appearance — until late Sunday.
Simon: “I'm just happy to hear great, incredible commentary by our incredible star, Caitlin Clark, one of our great players and stars.
“She sounds like the Caitlin Clark, who is getting ready to open the season on Saturday. Everybody's so excited about that. And we got a lot going for us in Indy with the Pacers and the Fever.
Added Clark: “We got to keep the wins rolling so we have two teams playing at the same time.
Simon: “That would be really exciting.”
You can watch a replay of my postgame show from Sunday below — or listen on the podcast.
The Fever wrapped up their preseason Saturday with a win in Atlanta, which kept Clark and teammates from attending Game 3 on Friday — a 22-point Pacers loss.
Game 4 was a different story. Already up by 15, the Pacers scored the first 10 points in the second quarter and closed the half with a 17–2 burst over the final three minutes. They led the top-seeded Cavs by 41 at halftime, while Cleveland had only 39 points total.
Notably, Clark and Boston were introduced to the sellout crowd of 17,274 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse right before the second frame.
“The Cavs are still playing solid defense,” added Clark. “It was just one of those nights where you literally could not miss. It was Aaron (Nesmith). It was Myles (Turner). It was Pascal (Siakam). It was just one to the next. And it was really, really fun to watch. I felt, honestly, just bad for the Cavs at one point. But, man, that was some good basketball.”
Remember the Pacers’ 20-point comeback win in Game 2? Fever head coach Stephanie White used that as an example of situational basketball at a training camp practice last week.
Here was Clark’s tweet after Tyrese Haliburton’s game-winning 3:
Should the Pacers finish off the Cavaliers and advance to the Eastern Conference Finals for the second straight season, we may have racers, Pacers and Fever playing at the same time — just the way Indy likes it.
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What is the worf on Cunningham injury and availabilty on Saturday opener? Thank u