Caitlin Clark Will Make WNBA Playoff Debut In Same Arena That She Started Her Career
UNCASVILLE, CT – Talk about an interesting twist of fate. Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark made her WNBA regular season debut four months ago in Uncasville at Mohegan Sun Arena against the Connecticut Sun.
Clark has come a long way since that loss, at least metaphorically. Literally and physically, she hasn't gone anywhere, since the Fever will play at Mohegan Sun Arena on Sunday against the Sun to start their WNBA postseason run.
That became official when the Sun defeated the Chicago Sky on Thursday night to lock up the No. 3 seed in the postseason. The crowd for the game wasn't anything like what is expected for Sunday.
There was some talk on social media that the Sun might rest their starters to avoid the Fever in the first round, but head coach Stephanie White said they wouldn't do that.
She followed through, as Sun starters played pretty close to their usual minutes – at least until the game got out of hand – en route to the blowout victory over Chicago.
Clark is set to make her playoff debut in the same town, in the same arena and against the same team that she began her career in mid-May.
She scored 20 points in that game, a 92-71 loss, but committed 10 turnovers and had just three assists.
The Indiana Fever will begin their WNBA playoff journey in Connecticut on Sunday, the same arena where rookie Caitlin Clark made her debut.
(David Butler II/Imagn Images)
Clark hasn't had that many turnovers in any game since, and she has had at least five assists in every game since mid-June.
Her improved play has pushed the Fever to its highest win total (20) since 2015. In the early going, it didn't look like that was possible. Indiana began the season with a 1-8 record.
But they went 19-12 from that point forward, and they're the one team that most WNBA opponents probably want to avoid in the playoffs. Apparently not the Sun, though.
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The Fever played the Sun three times in the season's first 30 days, losing all three matchups by an average of 14 points.
However, the teams have met only once since the Olympic break and Indiana beat Connecticut, 84-80.
Clark had 19 points, 5 assists and 5 rebounds. It wasn't one of her better games in the second half of the season, yet the Fever still won.
Caitlin Clark is a much different player, and the Indiana Fever are a much different team than the one that opened the season against the Connecticut Sun four months ago.
So, what happens if Clark brings her A-game to the playoffs against the Sun?
That would be bad news for the WNBA's No. 3 seed in the playoffs, who will host Indiana at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday for Game 1 of the three-game series and then again on Wednesday for Game 2.
If Game 3 is needed, the teams will head to Indiana on Thursday or Friday for the deciding match.
Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever lost their first three games against the Connecticut Sun, but beat them in the most recent matchup.
(Grace Smith/IndyStar/USA Today Network)
In addition to the Clark storylines, this is the first WNBA playoff appearance for the Fever since 2016. The coach of the team that season? Stephanie White, the current head coach of the Connecticut Sun.
Also, one of the Sun's stars – DiJonai Carrington – is in a relationship with a player on the Fever, NaLyssa Smith.
So, yeah, there's no question which first-round matchup of the WNBA playoffs will have the most attention on it.
The biggest question is whether the league can break through during the football season, especially with Game 1 being played on an NFL Sunday.
But that's not for Caitlin Clark or the Indiana Fever to worry about.
They're preparing to try and win a WNBA Championship. If that happens, it'd be hard to argue that Clark is the greatest rookie in league history, which is already probably true.
Buckle up, it should be a fun ride.