Indiana Fever, Caitlin Clark Again Refuse To Pad Rookie's Stats

When it comes to Caitlin Clark, the Indiana Fever seem more concerned with winning than making sure Clark "gets hers." 

Even though it's a not-so-well-kept-secret in the WNBA that the Chicago Sky helped pad rookie Angel Reese's stats when she was in the midst of a historic double-double streak. 

Clark broke the WNBA rookie record for assists in a game Sunday, dishing out her 226th dime in the first half against the Seattle Storm. 

Eventually, Clark worked her way up to nine assists (232 on the season) in the contest and was just one shy of having a double-double for the ninth time in her past 10 outings. 

In addition, Clark could have tied the WNBA record for consecutive games with 20+ points and 10+ assists. She had 24 points and 19 assists in a loss against Dallas in the Fever's final game prior to the Olympic break. 

Coming out of the break Friday, Clark kept rolling and scored 29 points and had 10 assists in a win over the Phoenix Mercury. 

As OutKick's Zach Dean pointed out, Clark ran out the shot clock on the team's final possession against Phoenix rather than try to get to a 30-point, 10-assist game – which would have been the first such game of her career. 

The WNBA doesn't have stats on how many times it has been accomplished, or the last time it was accomplished, or if it's ever been accomplished, but it's safe to say that it's not a common occurrence. 

Compare that with Angel Reese, who demanded the ball when she was one point shy of a double-double, even though the contest has been decided. 

In the game where Reese lost her streak, she once again demanded that teammates give her the ball, and looked very upset when she didn't get it – again in a game where the outcome had been decided. 

Now compare those situations to Sunday, when Caitlin Clark needed one assist to tie the WNBA record for consecutive 20+ point, 10+ assist games. 

Clark got her ninth assist of the game with 2:24 left on the clock. At that point, you'd think Clark might try to make sure she got that 10th assist. 

But maybe she doesn't pay close attention to her stats and didn't know? Either way, Clark didn't do anything differently than she had all game. 

Indiana Fever coach Christie Sides took rookie Caitlin Clark out of Sunday's game needing just one assist for another double-double.

(Christine Tannous/IndyStar/USA Today Network)

And, with 75 seconds left in the game, Fever coach Christie Sides put in five reserves, taking Clark and her other teammates out. 

No forced attempts to make sure Clark got that assist, that double-double and that WNBA record tie. 

It's interesting to see these two rookies – Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese – approach the game quite differently at times. 

Reese always seems aware of her personal stats, while Clark does not. 

Maybe I'm reading too much into it. Maybe not. 

Just trying to call it as I see it. And, as of now, that's how I see it.