Caitlin Clark ties rookie 3-point file as Fever beat Dream, pass closer to ending playoff drought
The Indiana Fever picked up their greatest get rid of in nearly a decade on Monday night, as they held off the Atlanta Dream, 84-79, on the facet freeway. In the job, No. 1 total preserve Caitlin Clark tied Dream guard Rhyne Howard for the all-time rookie 3-point file alongside with her 85th of the season.
Aliyah Boston helped the Fever soar out to a snappy 8-0 lead, however the Dream quickly worked their method abet into the game, which foreshadowed how the night would coast. The Fever were on high of issues the total method, and led by as many as 18 sides, however were unable to place the Dream away for perfect-looking out unless the closing seconds. A slack plod bought the house group within three sides, however they skipped over a pair of recreation-tying 3-pointers, and Kelsey Mitchell hit two free throws to ice it.
Mitchell performed with 29 sides to lead the Fever within the scoring division, while Clark had 19 sides, seven rebounds and 7 assists in a solid all-around efficiency. The latter went 4 of 9 from within the abet of the arc, including a steady step-abet over Howard early within the fourth quarter to tie her rookie 3-point tag.
While Clark’s shot has advance and long gone all the strategy in which thru the season, she’s making a extensive 33% of her 8.5 attempts per recreation and is 2nd handiest to Kayla McBride in entire makes. The Fever earn 10 video games closing, so Clark must always with out declare turn out to be the principle rookie to beget 100 3s in a season.
Coming into Monday’s showdown, Indiana sat in seventh inform with a 2.5-recreation lead over the ninth-inform Atlanta. However after the expansive get rid of, that advantage is now 3.5 video games. Add within the tiebreaker that the Fever (14-16) earn and they in actual fact earn a 4.5-recreation lead on the 10-19 Dream with 10 contests closing.
At this point, it might preserve a essential give method for the Fever to fail to tag the postseason, someplace they haven’t been since 2016, when Clark modified into once real foundation high college. Ending the longest energetic playoff drought within the league would be a essential success for Indiana this season.
As for the Dream, they for the time being are one recreation abet of the eighth-inform Chicago Sky for the closing playoff situation. While they are with out a doubt silent within the combine, this modified into once an aesthetic loss, in particular pondering how shut they came to pulling off the expansive comeback.
