On Sunday, Caitlin Clark made her return to the WNBA Playoffs after missing last year’s postseason with her team. Unfortunately, her return wasn’t as triumphant as hoped. The Indiana Fever faced a tough 102-85 defeat against the reigning champions, the Las Vegas Aces, in the opening game of their first-round series.
A’ja Wilson, recently recognized as the AP WNBA Player of the Year, delivered an impressive performance. Wilson scored 38 points, pulled down 16 rebounds, and contributed four blocks, two assists, and two steals. Her dominant play highlighted her excellence on the court.
For the Fever, Caitlin Clark also had a notable game, securing a double-double with 15 points and 10 assists. Clark, who earned the AP WNBA Comeback Player of the Year title, emphasized the need for her team to improve for Game 2. “I think they’re good defenders, but we made it hard on ourselves too. Our actions were sloppy and what we were running wasn’t great,” Clark reflected during the postgame media session.
Clark graded her team’s defensive effort with an “F,” citing the Aces’ ability to capitalize on 28 points from turnovers and efficient free-throw shooting (17 of 20). Fever head coach Stephanie White noted the “easy buckets” Las Vegas scored, which added to Indiana’s challenges.
The defending champions dominated most quarters, leading by as much as 27 points at one stage. Las Vegas showcased precise shooting with a 59.1% field goal success rate, suggesting a challenging series for the Fever. Despite Indiana being a top-scoring team this season, they seemed outplayed in this matchup.
The Aces have now tied with the Minnesota Lynx as favorites for the WNBA Finals, holding a 1-0 series lead over the Fever. Indiana will have a chance to level the best-of-three series in Game 2 on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. ET.