Indiana Fever beat Mystics for third win in a row as core four continues to jell.

INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Fever won their third game in a row with an 88-81 victory over the Washington Mystics at Gainbridge Fieldhouse

Here are three observations:

Fever win third game in a row, fifth in seven games

The Indiana Fever are slowly, but surely, getting hot in the WNBA.

After starting the season at 2-9 with 11 games in 20 days, the Fever have now won five of their past seven games, and three in a row. Indiana is in the playoff race, sitting at eighth with a 6-10 record.

And they’re approaching something they haven’t accomplished in nine years: four straight wins.

Indiana last won four in a row in 2015, when the Tulsa Shock still existed and Indiana legend Tamika Catchings was still playing. The Fever will go for four in a row Friday at Atlanta — a team they beat earlier this week,

Yes, all of their wins so far have come against bottom-half teams in the WNBA, including the Dream, Chicago Sky and Washington Mystics. But stacking wins is crucial for a young team like the Fever, and they’re doing it well.

Fever core four continue to jell

For the second straight game, each of Indiana’s top four players finished the game in double-figures: Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchel each had 22, Caitlin Clark had 18 and NaLyssa Smith had 11. While it’s the second straight game this has happened, it’s still just the second time the Fever have been able to get all of its stars — two No. 1 picks and two No. 2 picks — able to jell together.

Clark and Boston’s pick-and-roll and post-entry game is also continuing to develop: Boston started the game 3-for-3 from the field while Clark started with three assists. Clark flirted with a triple-double on Wednesday for the second consecutive game too, finishing with 16 points, 12 rebounds and six assists.

With 11 games in 20 days, the Fever had a tough start to the season with little rest and little practice time. Now, with four games in 16 days, Indiana has had time to practice new offensive schemes and learn how to work together with game experience to back it up.

Aliyah Boston showcases 3-point range

Watch out, Fever second-year center Aliyah Boston could become a threat beyond the arc.

Boston came to the Fever as a post that played nearly always in the paint, but she needed to have at least somewhat of a 3-point range — in case of emergencies. She showed her 3-point range last season in a July game against the Liberty — a last-second 3-pointer tied the score, forcing overtime against a top WNBA team. That time, she jumped into her teammates arms in celebration.

This year, it’s becoming more normal for the reigning Eastern Conference Player of the Week. Boston found herself open beyond the arc, got the ball, positioned her feet just beyond the 3-point line, and launched the ball toward the net. Swish. The Fever bench jumped up in celebration as Boston casually ran back on defense.

This season, she’s 4-for-10 in her limited attempts beyond the arc. It’s a new part of her game, and it’s something that could become a threat to opposing teams.

How many points did Caitlin Clark score?

Caitlin Clark scored 18 points and led the Fever in rebounding with 12 boards. She also added six assists with six turnovers.

Instagram backlash for Rice’s comment.

Kansas City Chiefs’ top wide receiver, Rashee Rice, recently showed some public support for Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark. Clark had just come off an impressive performance in her WNBA career, scoring 23 points, along with 8 rebounds and 9 assists during the Fever’s win over the Chicago Sky.

Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice and Indiana Fever star rookie Caitlin Clark.
Taking a moment to reflect on her life, Clark posted a photo of herself in a Fever jersey along with a throwback picture of her younger self playing basketball, captioned “Time flies.”

While Clark’s post quickly went viral, garnering over 520,000 likes, it was Rice’s supportive message that turned heads. Rice’s comment with emojis of fire and fingers crossed received numerous likes from fans, but it also drew some criticism. One Instagram user responded: “Cover your charges and law trouble first then comment,” while another added: “Aren’t you in jail.”

Rice is currently facing eight felony charges in connection to a six-vehicle car crash on March 30. Additionally, he is under investigation for allegedly hitting a photographer at a club in Dallas less than two weeks later. While the photographer who filed the police report wants charges against Rice dropped, the Dallas Police stated that it is still an active investigation.

Rice’s public show of support for Clark met with skepticism

The NFL is expected to suspend the 24-year-old receiver; however, the length of his punishment and when it will be handed down remains unknown. Despite his off-field issues, Rice has been trying to show support for other athletes. In fact, he and Caitlin Clark exchanged jerseys during the Chiefs’ Christmas Day game, as evidenced by a tweet from ClutchPoints showing Clark at Arrowhead Stadium.

This exchange of support between Rice and Clark highlights the complexities of athletes’ lives both on and off the field. While Rice faces legal troubles, he still seeks to show support for his fellow athletes. It’s a reminder that athletes are multifaceted individuals with both successes and challenges in their personal lives.

As fans continue to speculate about Rice’s future in the NFL, it’s clear that his actions off the field have sparked controversy and divided opinions.

Nevertheless, his public support for Caitlin Clark serves as a reminder that athletes are not defined solely by their mistakes, but also by their ability to show compassion and support for their peers.

Caitlin Clark has slammed her critics demanding ‘instant satisfaction’ from her and the Indiana Fever after the team’s third straight win on Wednesday night, an 88-81 triumph over the Washington Mystics. 

Clark and the Fever were hit hard by critics after the team lost its first five games of the season and eight of its first nine.

Indiana has since turned a corner, going 5-2 in its last seven games, including a four-game win streak at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

Right now, the Fever hold the eighth and final playoff spot in the WNBA despite its 6-10 record.

Clark made sure to put her professional journey in perspective for her doubters after the win over Washington.

Clark and the Fever improved to 6-10 on Wednesday night with a victory over the Mystics

Clark spoke about her doubters’ need for ‘instant satisfaction’ after the win over Washington

‘I think everybody just loves instant stratification in our world,’ Clark said. ‘No one came in here and said we were going to be WNBA Champions from day No 1 in our locker room.’

‘That was never our goal,’ Clark added. ‘Our goal was to get back to the playoffs and we’re fighting for that every single night. This is the first time we’ve won four home games in a row since 2015.

‘You have to have perspective on things, and that goes for life too. Like have perspective on life,’ Clark continued. ‘And there just needs to be solid perspective on what this team can accomplish. And I think everybody in our locker room had that. Nobody ever hung our heads.’

‘We had the hardest schedule to start. We didn’t get to practice much and we’re playing with the most inexperienced team in the WNBA,’ Clark said. ‘So I think this group is starting to click and build some chemistry and it’s one day at a time.

‘But like I said, everybody loves instant satisfaction. But sure, we would have probably loved that too. But I think we kept a good perspective on knowing we need to get better one step at a time,’ Clark concluded.

Clark has been under a microscope from not only the public, but other WNBA players too

Clark has been targeted for physical play throughout her first two months in the WNBA

Clark and the Fever have a chance to extend their winning streak to four games overall on Friday on the road against the Atlanta Dream, who hold the No 7 spot in the WNBA standings.

Clark’s first two months in the WNBA have not been smooth sailing as she’s dealt with physical play and people believing she’s receiving unfair treatment.

On Sunday, constant Clark rival Angel Reese committed a flagrant foul against her when the Chicago Sky star missed a block and swatted the former Iowa star in the head, sending her to the court in pain.

After the game, Reese said the Fever and Clark received a ‘special whistle’.

That foul came several days after Reese’s Sky teammate, Chennedy Carter, hip-checked Clark, drawing ire on social media for a play not in good faith in basketball.

Connecticut Sun star DiJonai Carrington also recently called out Clark for her silence in a ‘culture war’.

Reese and Clark – pictured at the WNBA Draft – have been fierce rivals so far this season

With the skyrocketing in popularity of women’s basketball, much on Clark’s back,  the attention has come some using her name being weaponized to spread racism and misogyny, something Clark pushed back on last week.

Carrington had taken issue with Clark’s lack of a brash statement to disassociate herself from those things. Then, she showed up at Clark’s game hours after a posting a tweet calling her out.

‘Dawg. How one can not be bothered by their name being used to justify racism, bigotry, misogyny, xenophobia, homophobia & the intersectionalities of them all is nuts. We all see the s***. We all have a platform. We all have a voice & they all hold weight. Silence is a luxury,’ Carrington tweeted.

Clark’s rebuttal of people weaponizing her name also happened hours before tipoff of Fever-Dream.

‘It’s disappointing,’ Clark said. ‘Everybody in our world deserves the same amount of respect. The women in our league deserve the same amount of respect.

‘People should not be using my name for those agendas. It’s disappointing. It’s not acceptable,’ Clark continued.