Clark posts 29 points and 10 assists as Indiana Fever seize Eastern Conference lead
INDIANAPOLIS, Aug. 15. Caitlin Clark scored 29 points and 10 assists to carry Indiana Fever past the Dallas Wings 98-87 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, moving Indiana to first place in the Eastern Conference. Clark rolled her ankle on a defensive play in the closing seconds of the first half and walked off the court toward the locker room. She returned to open the third quarter.
Key takeaways
- Caitlin Clark scored 29 points and 10 assists to lead the Indiana Fever past the Dallas Wings 98-87 on Aug. 15 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
- The win moved Indiana into first place in the Eastern Conference.
- Clark rolled her ankle late in the first half and left for the locker room, but returned to open the third quarter.
- Kelsey Mitchell added 23 points, her 18th straight game with at least 20 points, a franchise record, while Paige Bueckers led Dallas with 29 points.
- Indiana travels to second-place Atlanta on Sunday to play for the conference's top position.
INDIANAPOLIS, Aug. 15. Caitlin Clark scored 29 points and 10 assists to carry Indiana Fever past the Dallas Wings 98-87 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, moving Indiana to first place in the Eastern Conference. Clark rolled her ankle on a defensive play in the closing seconds of the first half and walked off the court toward the locker room. She returned to open the third quarter.
Thousands of fans at the arena held through the halftime break uncertain whether she would continue. From the moment she came back, the Fever's offense accelerated and Indiana extended what had been a halftime deficit into a lead it did not surrender.
The game moved slowly through the first quarter. Neither team scored 20 points. Dallas, shorthanded with Azzi Fudd among those unavailable, found its pace in the second period and carried a 37-35 lead into halftime. Indiana had entered the game needing a win to claim first place in the East. Clark's exit in the closing moments of the half put both the win and that goal in question.
Kelsey Mitchell supplemented Clark's output with 23 points, the 18th consecutive game Mitchell has scored at least 20 and a franchise record. Tyasha Harris went 4-for-4 from three-point range. Paige Bueckers led Dallas with 29 points, six assists, and six rebounds. The Wings kept the game close into the fourth quarter but could not close the gap, and the score settled at 98-87.
Indiana sits first in the Eastern Conference with the Atlanta Dream in second. The Fever travel to Atlanta on Sunday, where the two teams will play for the conference's top position.