Caitlin Clark had one of the best offensive games of her young WNBA career, but it wasn’t enough for the Indiana Fever to overcome a flurry of turnovers and red-hot three-point shooting from the Los Angeles Sparks.
The Sparks rode a 14-of-23 (60.9%) effort from 3-point range to an 88-82 win, denying the Fever their second win of the season. Clark finished with a career-high 30 points to go along with five rebounds and six assists. But her seven turnovers repeatedly cost the Fever as they tried to thwart the Sparks’ offensive attack.
Kia Nurse countered with 22 points, hitting 5 of 6 three-pointers to lead the Sparks offense. Aari McDonald added 21 points off the Los Angeles bench while hitting 3 of 5 3s. Cameron Brink, who was selected second overall behind Clark in April’s draft, had three points, three rebounds and two blocks in a step back from a sensational start to her WNBA career.
After trailing at halftime, 37-32, the Fever took control of the game, 43-37 with an 11-0 run to start the quarter. But the Sparks countered with an 11-0 run to close the quarter, fueled by 3-pointers on three straight possessions.
The Sparks then seized control with a 12-0 run in the fourth quarter to open a 76-63 lead. The Fever answered with an 8-0 run to cut their deficit to 79-73, but they didn’t have enough to close the gap down the stretch.
The loss dropped the Fever to 1-7, with Clark still dealing with growing pains eight games into her professional career. The scoring that was her trademark at Iowa has come in leaps and bounds. But it comes with a high turnover ratio. Monday marked the fourth time Clark’s scored more than 20 points with the Fever. It is also the fourth time she has achieved more than six turnovers.
