The Indiana Fever tried everything they could to overcome the Las Vegas Aces, but fell in Game 1 of the first round of the WNBA Playoffs and are now on the brink. While A’ja Wilson had an impressive performance, the home team’s defense was formidable, earning praise from Caitlin Clark, who was also not satisfied with her team’s level of play.
“They’re good defenders, but at the same time, we made it hard on ourselves too. Our actions were sloppy. I thought what we were running just wasn’t great, and just nobody got an easy or open look,” Clark said once the game concluded.
Before the end of the first half, the difference between the two teams in favor of Las Vegas was 15 points. As the minutes went by, that lead proved too much for the Fever to overcome, as they ultimately lost the game 102-85.
Clark was well defended
Caitlin Clark recorded a double-double with 15 points and 10 assists across 34 minutes on the floor, but she had a tough night largely because the Aces locked her down defensively from the jump. Chelsea Gray took on the main task of picking her up full-court and pressuring her off the bounce, while Las Vegas made a point to blitz her on pick-and-rolls, constantly throwing physical baseline help at her to force the ball out of her hands.
Caitlin Clark #22 of the Indiana Fever controls the ball against Stephanie Talbot.
That relentless pressure held her to 6-for-17 shooting from the field (35.3%) and 3-for-10 from deep, forced 6 turnovers, and kept her to just 3 rebounds.
The Fever are on the brink
Following their first setback, the Fever find themselves backed into a corner as they prepare to face Las Vegas Aces again in Game 2 next Tuesday, September 29, where their season is officially on the line.
While the outcome could have been different had they won against the Aces, Indiana must now quickly regroup and adjust to Las Vegas’ aggressive defense to avoid elimination. If the Fever manage to force a decisive Game 3, they will stay alive for a spot in the WNBA Finals; otherwise, their playoff run comes to an early end.
Key takeaways
- The Indiana Fever fell behind by 15 points before losing Game 1 102-85.
- Caitlin Clark recorded 15 points and 10 assists despite facing intense defensive pressure.
- Indiana faces elimination in Game 2 against the Las Vegas Aces on Tuesday, September 29.
