Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) and Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi (3) speak at halfcourt throughout a free throw on the Path Heart on June 30, 2024 in Phoenix. After practically a month off, celebrity rookie guard Kaitlyn Clark and the Indiana Fever return to motion and proceed their pursuit of a WNBA playoff berth once they host the Phoenix Mercury on Friday.
The Fever (11-15) misplaced 101-93 to the Dallas Wings of their last sport earlier than the Summer time Olympics break. Indiana received its first two video games, beating the Mercury and Minnesota Lynx earlier than shedding to Dallas.
Earlier than halftime, Clark had 10 assists and 4 factors in her first WNBA All-Star sport, serving to the WNBA All-Stars take first place on the U.S. Olympic workforce. Two of her Fierce teammates — Kelsey Mitchell and Aliyah Boston — had been additionally named All-Stars. Mitchell scored 13 factors and Boston scored 4 factors.
Subsequent yr’s All-Star Sport might be in Indianapolis, and Clark and her teammates will probably take middle stage in entrance of their residence followers.
Nevertheless, that is nonetheless a great distance off. Now, the Fever are hoping their current Olympic break will rejuvenate them right into a push for a playoff spot.
“I believe the Olympic break positively helps a workforce like ours that hasn’t been collectively in a very long time,” Fever guard Erica Wheeler mentioned. “I believe it’s actually essential to have the ability to get these practices in, to have the ability to get in some actual runs, work actually exhausting and have just a few days off.”
Added Fever ahead Narissa Smith: “It means so much to us. It is time to work on us. You’re employed on the little issues, protection, offensive rebounding.”
Clark averaged 17.1 factors and a league-leading 8.2 assists per sport and shot 32.7% from three-point vary. The Olympic break supplied respite for Clark, who performed her last collegiate sport on April 7 and made her WNBA preseason debut on Could 3. Enjoying nearly continuous.
Talking of relaxation, the three Olympians aboard the Mercury did not get a lot. Diana Taurasi, Kahleah Copper and Brittney Griner will compete of their first sport since France returned with its eighth consecutive gold medal. Two video games. The Mercury (14-12) trailed Copper by 29 factors and beat the host Chicago Sky 85-65 on Thursday to return to WNBA motion.
“The thrilling factor for us and her is we now have her in her prime,” first-year Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts mentioned of Cooper.
Koper, who performed key minutes and hit the game-winning free throws within the fourth quarter of Crew USA’s gold-medal win over France, ranks second within the WNBA’s scoring record this season with 23.4 factors per sport.
“That is what Kah does,” Taurasi mentioned of Copper. “She’s been enjoying for us all yr and we all know when issues get tight, she’s at all times the other. She will be able to do issues that nobody else on our workforce can do – nationwide workforce or the Mercury.”
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