PHOENIX – Sunday’s game between the Phoenix Mercury and Indiana Fever was the first between Diana Taurasi and Kaitlyn Clark, and “GOAT vs. Luke.” And the rookie got his first W.
The Fever defeated the Mercury 88-82 on Sunday at Footprint Center in Phoenix, handing the Mercury their third home loss of the season. Clark finished one rebound short of his first career triple-double, finishing with 15 points (including 4-for-14 shooting and 2-for-10 from 3-point range), 12 assists and 9 rebounds. She won by all but 33 seconds despite her poor form.
“She was not feeling well the whole game,” Indiana coach Christy Sides said after the game.
Anticipation for the matchup began building in early April, before Clark joined the league, after Taurasi said “reality is setting in” for all rookies, including Clark. Taurasi explained that she was just struggling to make the jump from college to the professional ranks, but some saw her comments as a jab at Clark.
The tension was immediately apparent on the court. In the first half alone, 5 technical fouls and 1 flagrant foul were called. Another Flagrant 1 foul was called before the game ended.
Things got especially nasty with 4:48 left in the second quarter. After a foul was called on the Mercury’s Natasha Mack, the two teams appeared to be right next to each other. The work of checking and pushing by numerous hands followed., which causes the two teams to be separated. Offsetting technical fouls were called on Indiana’s Erica Wheeler and Temi Fagbenle and the Mercury’s Kahleah Copper and Natasha Cloud.
Technical foul on Cloud, Copper, Temi and Wheeler, this game is a tech party and cc and diana are not the ones having a party. How does the plot get thicker 😭 pic.twitter.com/PQ9AQyJNVO
— vi ✰ (@ccloveoml) June 30, 2024
Amid the chaos and subsequent play reviews, Clark, 22, and Taurasi, who turned 42 in June, gathered at half court for a friendly chat. Despite pitting veteran against rookie, Clark and Taurasi expressed respect for each other in their online discussion, and even shared a hug before kickoff.
“(Taurasi) is probably one of the first women’s basketball players that I’ve idolized and really known,” Clark said before the game. “I’ve been in awe of the way she plays the game and the passion she has for it. It’s impressive that she’s still playing the game at such a high level and being able to produce like she does.”
“It’s amazing what Kaitlyn has done in her short career so far. It’s truly amazing.” said Taurasi, who finished with 19 points, three rebounds and three steals. “One thing I really like about her is she loves the game. You can tell she puts in the effort. … There’s been a lot of pressure and a lot going on for her, but she keeps showing up and getting better with every game. “She’s getting better and her future is very bright.”
“It’s really cool to see a veteran who’s been in this league for so long,” Taurasi added.
The Mercury led by 11 points at halftime, but the Fever jumped out to a 27-2 lead in the third quarter thanks to the play of the Fever’s Kelsey Mitchell. Mitchell played just over five minutes in the first half and scored no points, but scored nine points in the third quarter, all of which came from beyond the arc.
Mitchell picked up where she left off in the fourth quarter. She hit a jumper with 36.1 seconds left to make it 83-82. Clark knocked down two free throws with 19.9 left to extend the Fever lead to three, 85-82. Indiana’s Erica Wheeler stole the ball from the Mercury’s Brittney Griner on the next possession, and Mitchell tied the game with two free throws. Mitchell finished with 16 points, all of which were scored in the second half.
Asked why Mitchell was limited in the first half, Sides simply said, “It was a decision.” But when she released Mitchell, Sides said, “Kelsey came back and killed him. She hit some really big shots and played really good defense.”
The Fever outscored the Mercury 50-33 in the second half and outscored the Mercury 42-28 in rebounds throughout the game.
Indiana had five players score in double figures. In addition to Clark and Mitchell, Aliyah Boston had 17 points and eight rebounds, and NaLyssa Smith had a double-double with 12 points and 15 rebounds. Fagbenle, who is dealing with a right thumb injury, had 10 points.
Griner had a team-high 24 points, six rebounds and a block in the Mercury loss. Cloud, who committed a flagrant foul on Indiana’s Katie Lou Samuelson, added 15 points.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY. How many points did Caitlin Clark score? Fever vs Mercury stats
