The Aces are arguably the best team in the WNBA, and a win Tuesday night would have propelled them into the semifinal round of the ’26 WNBA Championship. Caitlin Clark (27 points, 15 assists, seven rebounds) made sure that didn’t happen.
You didn’t expect Caitlin Clark to hand the Aces their coronation on her home court, did you? Well, many did. Clark’s critics were waiting for that in Game 2, with the Fever trying to stave off elimination and live to play Game 3 in the best-of-three first-round series against the defending champions. These same folks piled on her on social media after an underwhelming 15-point performance on 6-of-17 shooting and 3-of-10 from 3 in the Fever’s 102-85 loss to the Aces.
They don’t know Clark well. They look at her as a soft player who can’t handle adversity or physicality. Some people need to learn the hard way before they get it.
Clark reminded everyone on Tuesday night why she’s one of the greatest WNBA players. On Tuesday night, she powered the Fever to a 99-89 Game 2 win over the Aces at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Now, the Fever can finish what Clark started on Thursday night when the series shifts to Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas. If Indiana can pull it off, the win will throw the championship into a wide-open space, with the league’s top two teams (Minnesota and Las Vegas) going down in Round One.
For that to happen, Clark will need to repeat what she did on Tuesday night, including taking the bull by the horns at the start. She scoring the Fever’s first six points on a 3-pointer and three free throws. She finished the first quarter with seven points.
Clark continued her tear by engineering a 9-0 run on a jumper, layup, assist (Aliyah Boston’s jumper), and 3-pointer. She ended the second quarter with an assist on Raven Johnson’s shot, giving the home team a 48-43 halftime lead, largely thanks to her. Clark tallied 14 points and 11 assists by halftime, and she assisted the Fever on eight-for-ten from the field at one point in the second quarter. Then she threw up in a trash can heading into the locker room. Of course, that didn’t signal the end of Clark’s night, and her second-half performance was proof.
When Clark hit back-to-back 3s to give the Fever a 90-77 lead, it was a good night for the Aces. She finished her night fouling out with 2:45 to go. Her job was done.
It was simply beautiful watching her play with joy. This was her court tonight. It was like old times watching her play for the Hawkeyes, dishing and swishing. The way it should be.
For all the criticism Fever coach Stephanie White deserves, give her credit for running a play through Clark to start the game. When she lets the offense run through Clark, good things happen. It’s the exact game plan she needs to run in Game 3.
It’s mind-boggling why the Fever ran their offense through Kelsey Mitchell in Game 1. Yes, Mitchell is good, but to get Clark started, she really needs the ball first. Also, White let Clark play instead of giving her a breather at times. On this night, there was no way she could bench her star early when she was in a groove.
Stephanie White (photo, Indy Star)
White might have saved her job by changing who should run the offense. Her choice was to turn to Clark or answer questions about her future with the Fever.
I don’t know if the win will save White’s job. Uncomfortable conversations with White and Clark will still happen heading into next year. But right now, it’s about winning Game 3.
White has the formula to make this work. She knows what Clark can do, and she must trust her. That it’s even an issue is troubling. Clark is wired for big games. It shouldn’t have taken an elimination game to give her the reins on the court. The Aces were hoping that wouldn’t happen; they knew how good Clark is and expected her to play well when given the lead. Clark delivered.
Now, we will see a Clark-Wilson showdown on Thursday night. We know Wilson will deliver on her home court, but who wants to bet against Clark in Game 3?
