Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark admitted to feeling fatigued after Wednesday night’s 86-75 loss to the Las Vegas Aces. She had her most attempts of the season, shooting 6-for-22 from the field, but struggled with just 1-for-10 from beyond the arc, marking her worst performance from three-point range this year. “It happens, it’s basketball,” said Clark, the Rookie of the Year, adding that while she didn’t think she played poorly, the team collectively missed shots they usually make. She noted the physical play from the Aces, which wore her down over time.
Late in the fourth quarter, with the Fever down by six, Clark faced off against Aces guard Chelsea Gray. As she attempted to drive, Gray defended tightly, and Clark was called for an offensive foul, to her disbelief. Frustrated, Clark considered throwing the ball but let it drop instead. Teammate Temi Fagbenle quickly intervened to prevent Clark from earning her sixth technical foul of the season. Earlier, in the second quarter, Clark had shaken her head and smiled after another offensive foul call.
The Fever struggled in the second and fourth quarters, as starters Lexie Hull and Aliyah Boston spent significant time on the bench due to foul trouble. The bench provided decent support, but unusual rotations disrupted the offensive flow. Las Vegas outscored Indiana by 11 points across the second and fourth quarters, partially due to MVP frontrunner A’ja Wilson’s dominant performance, with 27 points and 12 rebounds in her return from injury.
Reflecting on the game, Clark acknowledged the Aces’ strong defense, expressing surprise at the offensive foul calls but recognizing that physical play is to be expected. Fever coach Christie Sides pointed out the difficulty in making adjustments when key players like Clark and Kelsey Mitchell play heavy minutes. Despite the loss, Sides and Clark viewed the series with Las Vegas as a preparation for the playoffs, with Indiana getting another shot at redemption in Friday’s rematch against the Aces.
