Caitlin Clark scored 25 points and recorded nine assists in Game 2 of the playoff, showcasing a significant improvement from her playoff debut, where she managed only 11 points. For Sun, it was Alyssa Thomas who led the charge with 19 points, 13 assists, and five rebounds, while Bonner contributed 15 points and eight rebounds. The third-seeded Sun will now take on Minnesota in the semifinals, set to begin on Sunday.
“Basketball has consumed my life for a year. It will be good to reflect back on everything that happened,” Clark said after the defeat. “I didn’t have time to reflect on my college career, it ended so fast. I gave everything to my team and helped this team get back to the playoffs. I feel like taking some time to myself and enjoying that and reflecting back.
“It was special. A lot of things this group accomplished people that didn’t think was possible after the start we had to the season. It will definitely be a little weird for the first couple of weeks and then I’ll get bored and pick up a basketball again.” she added.
The 22-year-old had a historic season both on and off the court. She set the single-season assist record and posted a league-best 19 assists in a single game. She also became the fastest player to reach 500 points & 200 assists in the WNBA. Additionally, she shattered the rookie record for points in a season, achieving it in 40 games. She also helped the Fever to reach their first playoff in the WNBA since 2016.
Shoutout Caitlin Clark for an UNREAL rookie season 👏
⭐️ First rookie to record a triple-double
⭐️ WNBA record for mosts assists in a season
⭐️ Record for most threes made by a rookie
⭐️ Fastest player to 500 PTS & 200 AST
⭐️ Helped lead Fever to 1st playoff app. since 2016And… pic.twitter.com/DR8h7YkG62
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 26, 2024
Off the court, Clark and her fellow rookies have significantly boosted WNBA ratings and attendance. Despite a blowout loss in Game 1, 1.8 million viewers tuned in, according to ESPN, making it the most-watched WNBA playoff game since the 2000 Finals. Remarkably, it was also ESPN’s most-watched playoff game ever, even while competing with the NFL.
Due to Clark’s impact, Indiana topped the league in attendance both at home and away, drawing an average of 17,036 fans at home and over 15,000 on the road. Four teams even relocated their home games to larger venues when Indiana visited to accommodate the increased crowd sizes.
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Mohd Faisal Hakak is a sports author from Kashmir. He likes to keep tabs on the sporting world with a keen interest in football, motorsports, NBA, and other marquee sports. He is a science graduate from Islamia College Srinagar.
