Caitlin Clark had a rough start in her first career playoff game Sunday as the Connecticut Sun defeated the Indiana Fever 93-69 in Game 1 of their best-of-three first-round series.
Clark started 0-for-7 from 3 and didn’t hit her first from distance until halfway through the third quarter. She finished with 11 points on 4-of-17 shooting with 8 assists, 4 rebounds and 2 turnovers.
The Sun lost Tyasha Harris to an ankle injury early in the contest. She played less than four minutes and was seen late in the game on the bench in a walking boot.
The Sun were led by in-season acquisition Marina Mabrey, who finished with 27 points on 9-of-20 shooting. Mabrey was acquired via trade from Chicago in July. DeWanna Bonner also had a nice game for Connecticut, scoring 22 points on 7-of-11 shooting, and DiJonai Carrington led a stellar, physical defensive effort against Clark.
Clark posted a minus-20 and shot 2-of-13 from 3-point range. The Fever were led by Kelsey Mitchell’s 21 points, and Aliyah Boston posted 17 points and 11 rebounds.
It was a choppy, physical game, and the Sun limited the Fever’s ability to run and play at an up-tempo pace. There were various game stoppages and reviews early, further limiting Indiana’s ability to find a groove.
The Fever will need to make some adjustments to free up Clark and get out in transition in an effort to make this a series.
Connecticut will play host to Game 2 at 7:30 p.m. ET Wednesday.
Live33 updates
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Sun win Game 1, 93-69
Clark has not shot the ball well in this building. Her line: 11 points (4-17/2-13/1-2), eight assists, four rebounds, three steals, one block, two turnovers.
It’s one of the best scoring and shooting games for the Sun all season and they needed it. Game 2 is Wednesday night with the Fever’s season on the line. The in-arena host notes there were a lot of “22” in the building to make a Sun point, saying “of course” it was for DeWanna Bonner scoring 22.
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Christie Sides was already calling this one with subs waiting to come in and DiJonai Carrington hits a 3 to drive the point home. Fever call a timeout to put Katie Lou Samuelson, Kristy Wallace, Victaria Saxton, Grace Berger and Dantas on the floor.
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Thomas went down for about a minute. She gets up, immediately subs out and heads to the bench for a trainer to look at her lower right leg. That is the last thing Sun fans want to see. Absolutely no need to keep her in at this point, either.
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Alyssa Thomas, The Engine of Triple Doubles, has 12 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists with 3:53 still to play.
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I talked with Mabrey yesterday about joining the Sun midseason and the vast difference in playoff experience between the Sun and Fever. She sees herself in the middle using both to her advantage.
“I have both energies. I have some veteran experience, but I also am pretty young, too. So I’m gonna try to bring my energy that I have with my youth, but also use my head and use my IQ.”
Mabrey has playoff experience, but largely on a young team like the Fever. She played for the Wings in 2021-22 and Sky in ’23. The 2022 Wings team won Game 2 of the first-round series against the Sun to force a Game 3 at home they ultimately lost.
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oh my goodness Marina Mabrey. Have yourself a day.
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Clark finds Fagbenle in transition for what look like quick points until DiJonai Carrington blocks it and brings the arena to one of their louder roars.
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4Q: Sun 68, Fever 57
Sun defense is keeping Fever slightly below its 85 ppg pace, but Indiana has come back from larger deficits. It’s looking like the Marina Mabrey game so far as she quickly reached 18 points. Bonner and Mabrey lead all scorers with 18 apiece. Mitchell has 16 for Indiana.
Thomas is closing in on another postseason triple-double. She’s at 12 points, nine rebounds and nine assists.
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This is the fun game we all thought we’d see. Pace has quickened right up. Marina Mabrey hits a 3 over Clark and gives her a little talk before they head back. Two of the league’s notorious trash talkers. Clark hits one over Mabrey.
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There it is. Clark’s first 3 of the day off an assist by Mitchell. But Mabrey answers on the other end. Fever turn it over and Mabrey hits another. Sun lead, 58-46, nearing the halfway point of the third.
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Sun’s largest lead up to nine, 52-43, and Fever take a timeout at 7:07. Clark still 3-less while Boston and Hull have three fouls each.
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Clark misses another 3 from where she drained a couple in a row at halftime. Fever look hesitant on offense.
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Clark out here draining a few 3s in the halftime warm-ups. She’s 1-9 and missed all six 3 attempts. Four assists, two steals, one block and zero (yes, zero) turnovers. That stat, despite her poor shooting day so far, has the Fever right in this. Kelsey Mitchell leads Fever with 11 points and Damiris Dantas, one of the few Fever players with playoff experience, has 10 off the bench.
Bonner is up to 16 points with three assists and Thomas has 12 points, seven rebounds and four assists.
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HALF: Sun 46, Fever 38
The last couple of minutes in the second got away from the Fever. They looked disheveled on both ends as the Sun went on a 8-0 run. Connecticut has its largest lead of the game at eight points.
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Man, not enough can be said about Lexie Hull’s defensive impact. Pure hustle coming in from nowhere to snag lose rebounds and give the Fever second and third chances.
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2Q 5:31 | Sun 32, Fever 30
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The Fever keep losing Alyssa Thomas, which is not even close to a good idea.
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Clark subbing back in after two minutes of game action on the bench. Still a one-possession game.
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1Q: Sun 23, Fever 20
Sun are doing a good job of limiting the Fever in transition and it helps the Fever are 2-8 from 3. DeWanna Bonner (4-6 overall, 2-2 from 3, 10 points) and Alyssa Thomas (3-6, 6 points) leading the Sun offense.
