The nice ones all the time reply.
Caitlin Clark struggled in her first WNBA playoff sport final Sunday: 11 factors on 4-of-17 taking pictures, together with 2-of-13 from 3, and Indiana received blown out. How would Clark reply along with her staff dealing with elimination.
Clark completed Sport 2 with 25 factors, 9 assists and 6 rebounds — she bounced again. Just like the greats all the time do.
It wasn’t sufficient.
Connecticut’s depth and suffocating protection proved an excessive amount of once more — notably within the clutch when Connecticut received stops and hit three consecutive 3-pointers — and the Solar superior with an 87-81 win.
That victory advances Connecticut to the semifinals beginning this weekend — that is six straight years the Solar have made it to at the least the semifinals, a formidable streak of high-level consistency. The sport sends Clark and the Fever house till subsequent yr (exiting the playoffs with no house sport). Clark had stated beforehand that as a result of the school season runs nearly straight into the WNBA season she hasn’t had an actual break for a couple of yr and she or he was not going to play competitively this winter. After the sport, she stated she did not know what her plans have been.
The Fever entered this postseason with 5 starters who had by no means began a WNBA playoff sport earlier than. Indiana realized some exhausting classes within the face of Connecticut, which is a menace to advance, perhaps all the way in which to the Finals, due to their league-best protection.
It is was additionally a studying curve for Caitlin Clark — Connecticut threw totally different defensive appears at her all evening lengthy, totally different defenders and programs, and it was a chess match for her attempting to determine it out.
To her credit score, even when her 3s weren’t falling (3-of-12) she discovered a solution to influence the offense, her Clark’s drives and passing led the Fever offense Wednesday evening. Nonetheless, she and backcourt mate Kelsey Mitchell performed a full 40 minutes — not one break — and it began to indicate late as they each appeared just a little gassed.
It additionally felt like a playoff sport, with issues getting just a little chippy between Clark and DeWanna Bonner (Clark additionally was jawing with a fan within the first quarter, one safety went and spoke to).
Clark hit her first open 3 of the sport, however it was tight early as Indiana opened the sport 4-of-12 taking pictures, Connecticut 1-of-12, which allowed the Fever to open up an early nine-point lead.
Nonetheless, it did not take lengthy for Connecticut to clamp down with its league-best protection, get some transition buckets and a Mabry 3, and go on an 11-0 run that not solely received them the lead again however had them up 17-14 after one quarter.
That run prolonged out to 20-2 because the swarming however disciplined Solar protection began to frustrate the Fever — Connetticult had the lead as much as double-digits halfway via the second.
The Solar led 41-34 on the half regardless of taking pictures simply 36.6% (the Fever have been at 32.4%). Marina Mabrey led a balanced Solar assault with 9 factors on the half, whereas Clark had 14 on 5-of-12 taking pictures to guide the Fever.
Fever got here out in third and scored seven straight to tie it, with Clark scoring or helping on every level. Indiana even took the lead halfway via third on Hull transition layup.
That is the place the depth, protection and playoff poise of Connecticut got here via — they withstood the run, saved taking part in their sport, and by the tip of the third quarter the Solar have been again up 9, 61-52.
That is when Indiana went on a 12-2 run, and when Clark drained a leaning 3 with 3:58 left the Fever took the lead 71-70.
From there on in, it was the clutch play and protection of Connecticut that was the distinction. Alyssa Thomas additionally stepped up the way in which a five-time All-Star does and led the Solar with 19 factors, whereas Marina Mabrey added 17 together with the dagger.
The Solar have been merely the higher staff this sequence and need to advance. They will play with anyone within the W.
The long run is brilliant for Indiana — all of the greats needed to discover ways to win on the highest degree, and await the best staff to be constructed round them. True of Jordan, LeBron, Curry and everybody else.
You possibly can add Clark to that listing.
Fever followers must be excited in regards to the future.
