Caitlin Clark records historic triple-double, leads Fever to win over WNBA's best NY Liberty
The rookie phenom became not only the first player in franchise history to record a triple-double, but also the first WNBA rookie to do so. And her teammates helped deliver a big win.
Indiana Fever All-Star guard Caitlin Clark has done so much in her basketball career, including recording dozens of triple-doubles, that they all run together. Seventeen, in fact, during her junior year at Iowa. That’s the most by any men’s or women’s college basketball player.
So understand that it’s the wins she’s after, not the stats she’s chasing.
She was asked about the triple-double (19 points, 12 rebounds and 13 assists) at least five times postgame and each time, she deferred to her teammates. She instead chose to credit them for scoring buckets.
“I was trying to get the crowd to be quiet,” Clark said of the moment it happened. She could be seen gesturing for the crowd to be quiet, much like Peyton Manning trained Colts fans just five blocks away two decades earlier.
“I think it was Aliyah was shooting a free throw … and I was like, I appreciate it. But just trying to get them to be quiet, but obviously it's really cool. My teammates have been finishing the ball really, really at a high rate. My assist numbers, that's because of them.”
The crowd is because of Clark.
The merchandise sales is because of Clark.
The game airing nationally on CBS is because of Clark.
She is a household name because of her high level of play and how she delivers almost every night. Seeing those logo 3s never gets old.
Clark brings the intensity, the fight and the competitiveness — and her teammates are right behind her.
“They fought differently tonight, and they know that,” Fever head coach Christie Sides said after the Fever’s 83-78 win over the New York Liberty.
The Fever were back at home on Saturday after playing five straight games on the road. It was their first home game since June 19. They returned to town earlier this week, enjoyed two days off, and then prepared for their final meeting of a four-game season series … in Game 22. Odd scheduling, to be sure.
The Liberty entered this one 17-3 and winners in their last five games. They are atop the Eastern Conference standings.
“I've got a lot of talent in that room,” Sides said before the game. “These guys have been through some pretty tough adversity, and they've handled it, and they keep growing and getting better. I have all the confidence in the world that they can go out and compete against New York, Vegas, Phoenix.”
After the win, you can’t help but be impressed with the growth of this team. Especially defensively and with how they’ve responded.
“I feel like we're definitely playing good basketball,” Clark said afterward. “I feel like we're definitely finding some confidence in what we're being able to do out there on the court. We're playing together better.
“But I think the biggest difference for us has been when teams make runs, we don't crumble. Their biggest lead was 11 there in the (fourth) and we just found a way to stay resilient and close the gap.
“We always believe we're in the game. And for us, I think that's where we've been able to change our mindset and really just stay together and attack it together.”
I’m often asked about what’s changed for this team.
After a 2-9 start, they’re 6-4 over their last 10 games and have won two of their previous three games against two of the best teams in the league: Phoenix and New York. It starts with rest and reasonable practice time, which positively impacts the team’s chemistry. There’s no replacement for game reps, either.
“The resiliency that they show and the chemistry that they have on the court, that just keeps getting better,” Sides said. “And that just takes time. That takes time, and these guys are finding ways.
“It's just this young team, the least experienced team in the league, just getting these opportunities to be in these games and then learning from them. And I know everybody thinks we should be winning every game of the season, but that's just not where we are.”
On top of that, last year’s Rookie of the Year Aliyah Boston is in a nice groove after an admittedly poor start to the season. She finished Sunday’s matinee on CBS with 18 points and eight rebounds — and continues to be rewarded most times when she sprints the floor to beat her defender down the floor.
The Fever raced out to an 8-0 start, then maintained their distance with a 24-18 advantage at the end of the first quarter. Then they were kept to 31 points combined over the middle two quarters, but they kept their composure and stayed in it.
They were down by 11 with 8:51 to go after Breanna Stewart — who was kept to 14 points, six rebounds and six assists — made a pair of foul shots. Even though their offense stalled, leading to several shot-block violations, they stayed in it.
“And at times like that in the past, when our offense wasn't working, we didn't play as well defensively, and that wasn't the case tonight,” Sides said. “We went up another notch defensively, and then was able to close out with 28 (points) in the fourth.”
The Fever were successful at both ends, closing the game on a 19-7 run — including a 12-0 spurt. Defensive stops led to offensive opportunities, and they executed.
“There was a lot of communication,” said Boston. “We tried some different schemes, everyone just being ready for that. I just think we defended well the whole game. They hit tough shots. They're a great team, but for us to really lock in and lock down those last few minutes, especially those last possessions, was great for us.”
And when it comes to defense, they lean on guard Lexie Hull. She played nearly a season-high in minutes (19), and was out there for the entire final period.
“Lexie's always ready,” Boston said of her teammate. “No matter what, she's always ready when her name is called. And I think you saw that tonight. She came in, made big plays, was great defensively, great communicator.”
After the win, Sides praised her team for their fight, for their defense, for individual efforts of Damiris Dantas (she’s practiced just once), Hull and of course, Clark. And then players dumped water on Clark in celebration of her triple-double.
“They have been working towards this moment,” Sides then said postgame. “They fought through some tough times, but just really proud of my players for this.”
Clark has been through a lot in her rookie season already, and it hasn’t even been two months. Her teammates being on her wavelength is scary because who knows how much more they can produce. They’re going to have several weeks of downtime and practice coming up with the Olympic break as well, then they’ll finish up the season in September.
Through it all, Clark continues to hit all the marks.
It was another sellout crowd (17,274) for her and hundreds of season-ticket holders were in the stands more than two hours before tip-off.
And I’m not sure the Fever have ever had this kind of energy and passion behind them, even during the Tamika Catchings Era. Clark is worth every dollar the Fever pay her in salary — and then some.
“She's the most competitive human being I've ever met,” Sides said of her All-Star guard. “I really compare her to Diana Taurasi — she's always looking to find ways to get better. How can I help the team? What can we do? But she found her rhythm tonight.”
Clark came to the postgame press conference in a red team zip-up hoodie rather than her jersey; the No. 22 jersey was soaked by her teammates in celebration.
To end the press conference, she was asked for the third time about the significant of a triple-double — and once again, she was thinking about the big picture.
“Honestly, I'm just happy we won,” she said. “Like I've said, I take a lot of pride in being able to do a lot of different things for this team. I think we're really good when I can get the ball off the glass and just go in transition and find my teammates and set them up. But obviously, 13 assists, that means my teammates made 13 shots on my passes. So that goes to them, but I don't know.”
That’s when Boston interrupted. “She's so humble, isn't she?”
“I don't know what to say,” Clark replied. “I mean, it's great. I don't know.”
“That’s pretty cool, Caitlin,” Boston added, reaching over to Clark and patting her on the back. “Great job sister!”
The Fever are 9-13 and have three days between games. Rest and practice time have been hugely beneficial for this team; both wins and team chemistry are proof of that.
“HISTORYYY CAITY GIRL” NaLyssa Smith tweeted postgame.
“Yeaaaaaaa CC!!!” added Erica Wheeler.