JUST IN :Angel Reese Reacts to Caitlin Clark after she had a terrible injury today

Caitlin Clark had her “Welcome to the WNBA Playoffs” moment early in Game 1 when Connecticut Sun guard DiJonai Carrington poked her in the eye. However, the Indiana Fever rookie star didn’t let it serve as an excuse for her off shooting performance during their 93-69 defeat to the Sun on September 22.

Caitlin Clark gets poked in the eye 😬 pic.twitter.com/W7UP89JrLG

— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) September 22, 2024

“She definitely got me pretty good in the eye,” Clark told reporters after the loss. “I don’t think it impacted my play. I had good looks; they just didn’t fall. It’s tough timing for something like that.”

Clark made only 4 of her 17 shots, including a disappointing 2 for 13 from beyond the arc. The Fever rookie guard mentioned missing a wide-open 3-pointer in the first half that she would usually knock down.

Despite the black eye, Clark chose to focus on the positives. “I handled the ball better than usual, tying my season-low with just two turnovers,” she said. “We were down 3 at the end of the first quarter, down 5 more in the second, and lost the third by 3.”

While the Fever struggled with shooting, hitting only 27 of 67 shots, Clark pointed to their defensive lapses as the real issue. “We couldn’t get stops,” she explained. “The shot clock kept getting messed up, and it was just one thing after another. Getting poked in the eye wasn’t pleasant, but I don’t think it affected my performance.”

Caitlin Clark Takes Blame For Marina Mabrey’s Historic Night

Sun guard Marina Mabrey came off the bench to ignite Connecticut’s offense, pouring in 27 points—the most ever scored by a WNBA player off the bench in a playoff game. Mabrey hit five 3-pointers and was the game-changer in the series opener.

Clark took responsibility for Mabrey’s scoring outburst. “Our defense could have been better,” Clark admitted after the loss. “Marina got hot, and she’s a great player, but I had a few lapses defensively.”

Mabrey, who played starter minutes after Tyasha Harris left the game due to injury, had a standout performance. Acquired by the Sun from the Chicago Sky on July 17, she delivered her signature game, sinking all five of her 3-pointers in the second half, helping Connecticut pull away. She also contributed three rebounds and three assists in her 32 minutes off the bench.

Caitlin Clark Shrugs Off MVP Loss

Caitlin Clark’s historic rookie season didn’t end with an MVP award, as she finished fourth in the voting while Las Vegas Aces star A’ja Wilson claimed her third MVP, becoming the unanimous choice. Clark, however, wasn’t fazed by her placement.

“I mean, it’s cool, but I don’t really care,” she said about her fourth-place finish before Game 1 of their best-of-three playoff series against the Connecticut Sun on September 22. “My life isn’t affected by that. I’m just focused on helping my team. Our goal was to make the playoffs, and I believe we can win this series, one game at a time.”

As the No. 1 overall pick, Clark shattered multiple WNBA records in her rookie campaign. She dished out the most assists ever by a rookie with 337 and set the single-game assist record with 19. She also became the first rookie to record a triple-double and hit 122 3-pointers, the second-most in any WNBA season.

According to ESPN, Clark’s 337 points were the most scored by any point guard in a single WNBA season. She also became the first WNBA rookie to earn both Player of the Month and Rookie of the Month in the same month, and was the first to post 20+ points, 15+ assists, and 5+ rebounds in a game.