Caitlin Clark RAMMED By Chennedy Carter, NO FLAGRANT Called Or Review | Indiana Fever vs Chicago Sky!
Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark faced each other for the first time on a WNBA court on Saturday, but it was veteran Kelsey Mitchell who seized the spotlight in the Indiana Fever’s 71–70 win.
The seventh-year guard led Indiana with 18 points. Surprisingly, Mitchell went scoreless in the first quarter but picked it up in the second and fourth frames, becoming more aggressive going to the basket. NaLyssa Smith added 17 points and nine rebounds for the Fever, who won their second game of the season.
Chennedy Carter led the Sky with 19 points on 8-for-12 shooting with six rebounds. The four-year veteran was a domineering presence on the floor, jawing at Fever players and checking them hard defensively.
Clark scored 11 points with eight rebounds, but struggled with her shot after hitting her first two three-pointers. She also had five turnovers, which continues to be a problem as Clark and her teammates learn each other’s tendencies on the court.
Reese finished with eight points, shooting 2-for-9 from the floor. But she made her presence felt defensively, especially when Clark ran through the lane.
Saturday’s matchup was the season debut for Cardoso, the No. 3 overall pick in this year’s WNBA draft from national champion South Carolina. Playing against her former Gamecocks teammate Aliyah Boston, the 6-foot-7 center quickly established herself near the basket, scoring six points on 3-for-3 shooting.
The Fever had difficulty matching up with Cardoso in the post, yet got away from feeding her the ball after that impressive start. NaLyssa Smith scoring down low and tougher defense by Boston likely played a role in that.
Cardoso finished with 11 points and six rebounds, shooting 5-for-7 from the floor.
After Thursday’s loss to the Seattle Storm, Clark told reporters, “I feel like I’m getting hammered.” Opponents not getting called for fouls has contributed in part to Clark’s technical fouls. With three for the season, she is now nearly halfway to the seven techs that would draw an automatic one-game suspension under WNBA rules.
The Sky continued the strategy of roughing Clark up, checking her hard as she came through the lane and worked for position. Late in the third quarter, Carter knocked Clark down while waiting for an inbounds pass. She was called for a common foul on the play, but many thought it warranted a Flagrant 1.
The Fever next hit the road for a Sunday evening matchup with the New York Liberty. Tip-off is at 7 p.m. ET. The Sky host the Liberty on Tuesday night at 8 p.m. ET. Both games will be televised on NBA TV.
WNBA and Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark was challenged by teammate NaLyssa Smith. The challenge occurred in front of the entire team during the day’s practice.
The challenge began after an intense shooting practice, when NaLyssa proposed a duel to Caitlin, both players accepted the proposal with enthusiasm, turning the tense moment into a very funny show with laughter and celebrations for the rest of the team.
Caitlin Clark challenged by NaLyssa Smith
The friendly competition between Caitlin Clark and NaLsyssa Smith not only showed off their skills, but also their competitive spirit and ability to motivate each other and infect the team with positive energy.
Caitlin Clark, known for her scoring ability and accuracy on long shots, did not disappoint. With the eyes of the entire team on them, both Clark and Smith were able to hit impressive half-court shots, sparking a wave of applause and celebration among their teammates and the coaching staff.
The interaction between Caitlin and NaLyssa is a perfect example of how healthy competition and mutual support can take a team to the next level. The Indiana Fever are showing that their team spirit is as strong as their individual talent, promising a season full of success and exciting moments.
Angel Reese (Photo via WNBA/Twitter)
Angel Reese seemed to have found her “special whistle” because it certainly was not blown when it should’ve during her most recent game.
The Chicago Sky had just done something that no other player in WNBA history has ever done before, but her making history became a footnote to one play during Thursday’s game against the Dallas Wings.
With less than four minutes to go in the third quarter, Reese intercepted a pass and found herself all alone as she dribbled the other way for an easy layup.
The replay of this moment showed that the dynamic rookie got away with multiple double dribbles and quite possibly a traveling violation on this one single play.
Yet, no refs whistled the play dead.
Another view from that play showed Angel Reese laughing hysterically, as she likely knew she had gotten away with multiple violations.
SHE’S SPECIAL 🌟
Angel Reese had a record-breaking performance today for the Chicago Sky:
16 PTS (7-13 FG)
18 REB (career-high)
8 OFF REB
3 AST
2 STL
ONLY rookie to ever record 7 consecutive double-doubles#WelcometotheW pic.twitter.com/0DCg4s4uYj
Fans wasted no time taking to the comments and blasting the refs as well as Reese for this blatant violation that went unwhistled:
Despite the mishap in this play, Angel Reese is starting to pave her way at the professional level, especially over the past month. Since June 1, she’s averaged 13.4 points per game with 12.8 rebounds.
Angel Reese Did Something No Other Player In WNBA History Has Done
Chicago Sky’s Angel Reese snagged a rebound and layup against the Dallas Wings on Thursday, and with that, she became the first rookie in WNBA history to record a double-double in seven consecutive games.
In the contest, Reese finished with astounding numbers, racking up 16 points and 18 rebounds as the Sky ended their four-game losing streak, per ESPN.com.
