After a season-opening 35-point blowout of the Chicago Sky, the Indiana Fever were looking to extend their win streak against the Atlanta Dream Tuesday night. Coming off of her third career triple-double, Caitlyn Clark and the Fever hosted the first of back-to-back games of this matchup in the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. Despite a superlative performance by Clark, Indiana would suffer its first loss of the season to the Dream by a final score of 91-90.

Four of the five starters for Atlanta scored over fifteen points in the contest. Ten-time WNBA All-Star Brittany Griner led the team with 21 points and 9 rebounds in 30 minutes. Rhyne Howard scored 20 points with 2 rebounds and 3 assists, and Bri Jones added 19 points with 13 rebounds and 3 assists.

Slow Start For Clark And Indiana

The Dream started the game with an explosive offensive output tallying 31 points in the first quarter. Struggling to find rhythm, the Fever lacked the ball movement and assist numbers normally seen in an offense where Clark is the primary ball handler. In the second quarter, Indiana would turn it around. The Fever would outscore Atlanta 19-13 in the second quarter, propelled by an 11-point output from Clark. Indiana would enter halftime with a two-point deficit, down 42-44.

A Game Of Runs

In the third quarter, Atlanta would gain momentum. Howard would start the quarter with three consecutive 3-point makes to stretch the lead to ten, resulting in an Indiana timeout. The Fever would fight back by relying heavily on the offensive prowess of Aliyah Boston. Despite Boston tallying 11 points, Atlanta would outscore Indiana in the 3rd quarter 32-23, opening the last quarter with a 76-65 lead.

Indiana needed an exceptional fourth quarter to have an opportunity to secure a victory, and that’s exactly what they provided. The Fever chipped away at the deficit until they finally took the lead with 22 seconds remaining on a Boston free throw. On the following possession, Howard would be fouled by Kelsey Mitchell and sent to the line to attempt two free throws. Howard would sink both, giving Atlanta a one-point lead with 10 seconds left. On the final possession of the game, Natasha Howard would miss a fade-away jumper, ending the game in a 91-90 victory for the Atlanta Dream.

End Of My Fever Rant

Clark played exceptionally, accruing 27 points, 5 rebounds, and 11 assists. Boston scored 24 points with 10 rebounds, and Mitchell added 24 points and 2 assists. The next game for both teams will be the second matchup of a back-to-back, on Thursday in Atlanta at the Gateway Center Arena.