Caitlin Clark Remains Star Of WNBA, But Her Team Improving Drastically | Glenn Guilbeau

Caitlin Clark actually played a WNBA game Wednesday night that, for the most part, was void of any school girl drama or controversy - give or take a couple of the usual cheap shots at her. But even those were not nearly as bad as the ones by WWE wanna-be types Angel Reese and Chennedy Carter in recent weeks.

And it was refreshing to see. Finally, just some good, pure basketball for a change with the announcers talking about Clark and not pushing equal-time storylines of other players that frankly are not there in abundance.

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And Clark was at her Willie Mays best yet again - as in all-around dominance - in the Indiana Fever's 88-81 win over the Washington Mystics in front of another packed house of 17,274 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

Indiana Fever point guard Caitlin Clark drives past Karlie Samuelson of the Washington Mystics. (Getty Images)

She scored 18 points on 6-of-12 shooting with a pair of 3-pointers in six tries, yet also pulled down a pro career-high 12 rebounds, which is amazing for a guard, while dishing six assists with four steals. It was her fourth double-figure scoring game of the last five - a span in which she is also averaging 6.4 rebounds and 5.8 assists. Time and again, she just ran past slower opponents. 

She did have six turnovers and leads the WNBA in that category, but she doesn't play safe. She is a bit like Brett Favre with interceptions. And sometimes her passes are so quick and anticipatory that her teammates don't react fast enough.

Indiana Fever Is Getting Hot As A Team

But here's the deal, the Indiana Fever is getting better.

Indiana (6-10) won its third straight game. And it won its fourth straight at home - something not done by the Fever since 2015. Indiana also went to 4-1 since getting four straight days off from June 3-6 after playing an ungodly 11 games in 20 days to start the season, including six games over those last 10 days that featured a pair of back-to-back dates with all four in different cities.

Now amid a more manageable schedule at the moment, Indiana is in eighth place and would have the final playoff spot in the 12-team WNBA. The Fever leads ninth-place Chicago and Angel Reese, who are 4-9. That is significant after an 0-5 start that became 1-8 and 2-9 before the four days off.

During those four days off, Clark talked about wanting to just spend some time in her new apartment in Indianapolis.

"She's a human," Clark's seven-year veteran teammate Kelsey Mitchell said at the time. "And I think she deserves to give herself some grace. And I think a lot of people around the world should, too. She's a 22-year-old kid. Things come with time."

Caitlin Clark scored 18 points with a WNBA career-high 12 rebounds in Indiana's home win over Washington on Wednesday night. (Getty Images)

And it's coming now.

"Just honestly getting away from basketball a little bit and getting some sleep," Clark said during those four days off. "Taking care of my body and working on my shot."

Coach Christie Sides also got to practice her team, as opposed to just the pre-game walk-through.

"We just had practice. It was great," Sides said during the "vacation" of four days. "I felt like we were back in training camp a little bit."

And it is showing. The Fever is moving the ball around and setting screens for Clark. And other players are shining as well. Particularly Mitchell, who hit a graceful 8 of 11 shots with 4 of 5 from 3-point range on Wednesday for 22 points.

Mitchell is just now coming into her game as she missed all of the real training camp with an ankle injury. She is averaging 21 points over her last three games.

Indiana Fever veteran guard Kelsey Mitchell has averaged 21 points a game over her last three. (Getty Images)

Clark at point guard and Mitchell at shooting guard - with each able to play the other position just as well - form quite a dangerous tandem, reminiscent of point guard Walt Frazier and shooting guard Earl "The Pearl" Monroe on the New York Knicks in the 1970s.

Forward Aliyah Boston is also improving. She scored 22 points Wednesday on 8-of-11 shooting and even threw in a 3-pointer along with eight rebounds and a blocked shot. A fourth player - forward NaLyssa Smith - scored in double figures as she added 11 with seven rebounds and a blocked shot.

"Aliyah was amazing. Kelsey was great," Clark said after the game. "It's been fun. These have been team wins - no individual stars."

Now, Indiana goes on the road for five straight, though, as the WNBA seems to schedule without a computer. At least, three of them will be on ESPN.

Indiana next plays at Atlanta on Friday (7:30 p.m., Ion TV) before another nationally televised rematch with Chicago and Reese on Sunday (4 p.m., ESPN).

"We feel like we can win any game now," Clark said.