The Indiana Fever felt that one. Just days after blowing the doors off the Chicago Sky, the squad hit a brick wall courtesy of the Atlanta Dream. Caitlin Clark was on absolute fire, putting up a wild 27-point, 11-assist, 5-rebound night, but it wasn’t enough.
The Dream hung tough, capitalized on Indiana’s early mistakes, and escaped Gainbridge Fieldhouse with a 91-90 win. And Clark? She didn’t sugarcoat the truth afterward.
Caitlin Clark Owns Up to Fever’s Early Woes
There’s losing, and then there’s almost winning. That sting hits different. Especially when a player like Clark does everything she can to carry her squad. In the post-game interview room, Clark got straight to the point: the Fever shot themselves in the foot early.
“I mean, it’s really hard when you dig yourself a hole like that,” Clark told reporters after the game. “It’s just tough.”
caitlin on the fever’s start:
“it’s hard when you dig yourself a hole like that. i thought we had a bad start to the game and the 2nd half. felt a little flat as a group out there on the floor. we can’t put ourselves in those types of positions. i thought atlanta played well.” pic.twitter.com/rq3uHB9hYi
— cc akgae (@clrkszn)
Indiana came out flat in the first quarter, then doubled down with another sluggish start in the second half. And Clark saw it all happening in real time. The Dream took full advantage, using their size, especially in the post, to keep the Fever off balance.
Clark didn’t hold back in her assessment. She pointed out how Indiana struggled to capitalize in the halfcourt, especially when Atlanta rolled with two bigs.
“We’ve got to find ways to exploit that,” she said. “We didn’t.”
The numbers back it up. The Fever outscored the Dream in the second and fourth quarters. Clark knows that kind of play won’t cut it in a league that punishes every slip-up. Still, the vibes weren’t totally grim as Clark noted.
“That’s the great thing about this league,” Clark said. “You have a day, and then you play again. So, nothing to get too worked up about.”
Redemption Shot Comes Quick in Atlanta
No time to overthink this one. The Fever has a chance to run it back against the Dream in just a couple of days. This time in Atlanta’s house. If Tuesday was a momentum check, Thursday is a shot for redemption.
For Indiana, the goal is simple: keep the energy consistent. Clark can’t carry the load alone. The team showed flashes of elite offense in that opener against Chicago. That version needs to show up for all four quarters, not just two.
Atlanta, meanwhile, will be looking to build off its first win of the season. After all, it just held off one of the league’s biggest names in Clark, who still dropped five 3s and nearly willed Indiana to a comeback.
The stakes may be lower early in the season, but the vibes are already postseason-level. One thing’s for sure: Clark’s got receipts, and Thursday night could get interesting.