No Clark? No Problem. Fever Bring the Heat to Douse the Fire
No Clark? No Problem. Fever Bring the Heat to Douse the Fire
INDIANAPOLIS — In a shocking pre-game twist that sent fantasy managers into immediate cardiac arrest, the Indiana Fever announced less than two hours before tipoff that superstar Caitlin Clark would sit out with a back injury. It was her first missed game of the season, leaving fans wondering if the Fever offense would look like a dial-up internet connection.
Spoiler alert: They did just fine. Indiana looked less like a stranded squad and more like a well-oiled machine, dismantling the expansion Portland Fire 90-73 on Wednesday night. Turns out, there is life after Clark, and it looks a lot like Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell doing heavy lifting.
The Stat Leaders (Or, Who Needs a Point Guard Anyway?)
Player Points Rebounds Assists The "X-Factor"
Aliyah Boston 24 8 2 Returned like she never left.
Kelsey Mitchell 21 3 4 Pure bucket-getting behavior.
Lexie Hull 16 8 1 Couldn't miss if she tried
Bridget Carleton 16 4 2 Kept the Fire warm in the first half.
How It Happened: The "Lexie Hull Cheat Code"
While Boston and Mitchell did their usual damage, Lexie Hull decided to play a game of basketball with a literal cheat code enabled. Hull turned in a pristine, statistically flawless evening:
4 of 4 from the field
4 of 4 from behind the arc
4 of 4 from the charity stripe
If you're doing the math at home, that's a 100% shooting night for 16 points, tucked neatly alongside 8 rebounds.
Meanwhile, Tyasha Harris stepped into the terrifying shoes of Clark’s starting spot. While her shooting stroke apparently stayed in the locker room—finishing a frosty 0-for-6 from the floor—she played the role of ultimate floor general. Harris dished out 7 assists, snatched 2 steals, and committed absolutely zero turnovers. Who needs points when you’re running the offense like a seasoned air-traffic controller?
The Turning Point
For a brief moment in the second quarter, Portland threatened to make a game of it. The Fire's Sarah Ashlee Barker knocked down a midrange jumper to trim Indiana's lead to a tight 32-30.
The Fever apparently took that personally.
Indiana immediately went on a blistering 21-7 run to close out the half with a comfortable 16-point cushion. They shot a sizzling 55% in the first half and never looked back, keeping the lead in double digits for the entirety of the second half.
Cruel Summer for the Fire: Adding insult to injury, Portland's promising 21-year-old rookie Nyadiew Puoch had to be helped to the locker room at the end of the third quarter with a leg injury and did not return. She went scoreless in 20 minutes after back-to-back games in double figures.
Up Next
Portland Fire (2-3): Heading north of the border to take on Toronto this Saturday. Hopefully, they pack some ice bags.
Indiana Fever (3-2): Hosting Golden State on Friday. Keep your fingers crossed for Caitlin's lumbar region.
