Caitlin Clark‘s WNBA postseason debut on Sunday looked similar to her regular-season debut four months ago: a rough shooting outing leading to a blowout loss courtesy of the Connecticut Sun at Mohegan Sun Arena.
Clark, this year’s likely WNBA Rookie of the Year winner, scored just 11 points on 4-of-17 shooting from the field in Sunday’s first round Game 1 loss, 93-69, to the Sun. She had just three points at halftime, making just one field goal at the time. Clark also missed 11 of her 13 three-pointers, contributing to the team’s overall 6-of-28 (21.4%) mark from downtown.
The Fever eventually shot 40.3% (27-67) from the field opposed to Connecticut’s 49.3% (36-73) in Game 1.
“We didn’t play well, didn’t play to the level we’re capable of playing,” Clark said. “We didn’t shoot the ball like we’re capable of. We’re capable of winning this game.”
Sunday’s blowout loss felt like the season-opening 92-71 defeat on May 14. In that matchup, Clark scored 20 points on 5-of-15 shooting from the field and accounted for 10 of the team’s 25 turnovers.
The young Fever squad look overwhelmed dealing with a stout Sun defense filled with veterans. That loss contributed to a brutal month to start the 2024 season: a 1-8 record that included five games with double-digit losses. The worse margin of defeat came at the hands of the Liberty: a 36-point road loss.
The Fever, however, turned things around since and ended the season with a 20-20 record that earned them the WNBA’s sixth seed.
Playoff AT came out to play 😤 12 PTS // 13 AST // 10 REB
Alyssa Thomas is your Seriously Nice Player of the Game, brought to you by @BreezeAirways, with non-stop flights out of @Bradley_Airport to New Bern, Phoenix, Vero Beach, Cincinnati, Greenville, and many more! pic.twitter.com/hkGYZaAW0s
— Connecticut Sun (@ConnecticutSun) September 22, 2024
On Sunday, Sun star Alyssa Thomas — like she did in the regular-season opener — led the charge in Game 1 with a triple-double. She registered 12 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds. Guard Marina Mabrey came off the bench and scored a team-high 27 points on 9-of-20 shooting, including five made treys.
Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell contributed 21 points and five rebounds. Aliyah Boston, last year’s Rookie of the Year winner, recorded her first postseason double-double after finishing with 17 points and 11 rebounds.
“We did what we were supposed to do. I’ve been waiting all season for the playoffs, this is what you’re playing for,” said Thomas. “This is just the beginning for us, we’re ready to go.”
If recent history is an accurate indicator, the young Fever team will figure out a gameplan to be successful. But that moment may not come in the 2024 postseason, with Christie Sides’ squad one game away from elimination in the best-of-three series.
Experience could be the biggest teacher for the Fever, which trotted out a Game 1 starting lineup with four players under the age of 26. The franchise cornerstones, Clark and Boston, are both 22 and got their first playoff action on Sunday. The Fever’s starting lineup played their first postseason game Sunday and the entire roster has just 19 postseason games recorded.
The Sun’s roster entered Sunday with 222 games of playoff experience, according to the Associated Press’ Doug Feinberg. The youngest players on the Sun’s starting unit, defensive specialist DiJonai Carrington and Ty Harris, are 26. DeWanna Bonner, who scored 22 points in Game 1, is the oldest at 37.
The Fever will attempt to avoid elimination in Wednesday’s Game 2 in Connecticut. Game 3, if necessary, is set for Friday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
With News Wire Service
