Caitlin Clark faced a difficult WNBA playoff debut with 11 points and a black eye. Despite the setback, she remains confident in her team’s ability to bounce back in Game 2.
BollywoodFever: Caitlin Clark scored 11 points in her WNBA playoff debut on Sunday, falling short of her season average of 19.2 points per game.
The Indiana Fever star struggled with her shooting, hitting just 24% of her shots and 15% from beyond the arc, well below her usual 42% and 34% averages.
Her frustration was evident during the third quarter of her team’s 93-69 loss to the Connecticut Sun when she slapped the bench after missing a shot. Adding to her tough night, Clark suffered a black eye early in the first quarter.
Just two minutes into the game, Clark was accidentally poked near her right eye by Connecticut’s DiJonai Carrington while passing to teammate Aliyah Boston. Clark was seen clutching her face on the floor, but no foul was called. Despite the visible bruise, Clark refused to use the injury as an excuse for her performance.
“She got me pretty good in the eye. I don’t think it affected me, honestly,” Clark said after the game. “I felt like I got good shots, they just didn’t go down. Obviously a tough time for that to happen.”
She continued, “It didn’t feel too good when it happened, but it is what it is.”
The contact appeared unintentional, though there is some history between the players. Back in June, Carrington seemingly mocked Clark for exaggerating a foul and later criticized her on social media for dismissing discussions involving her name in topics like racism and misogyny.
Clark, the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer and this year’s No. 1 overall pick for the Fever, had a strong season despite early team struggles. After the Olympic break, Indiana finished with a 9-5 run, securing their first playoff berth since 2016.
Although Clark set a WNBA record with 337 assists this season, she also led the league with 5.6 turnovers per game. On Sunday, she recorded eight assists (close to her season average of 8.4) and limited herself to just two turnovers.
“I felt like I battled, tried my best, and took care of the ball better than usual, which is a positive,” Clark reflected.
With one more loss potentially ending their season, Clark and the Fever will face the Sun again on Wednesday in Game 2. If a Game 3 is needed, it will be played in Indianapolis on Friday.
“We can win,” Clark said confidently. “It’s not about the building, the gym, or the hoops. I have all the confidence in this team, and I know we’ll be much better on Wednesday.”
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