On Sunday, Caitlin Clark returned to the WNBA Playoffs after missing her team’s postseason run last year. Her comeback was met with disappointment as her team, the Indiana Fever, fell 102-85 to the defending champion Las Vegas Aces in Game 1 of their first-round series.
A’ja Wilson, recently recognized as the AP WNBA Player of the Year, showcased her skills with an impressive performance. She scored 38 points, grabbed 16 rebounds, and contributed four blocks, two assists, and two steals. On the opposing side, Clark achieved a double-double with 15 points and 10 assists. She had been named the AP’s WNBA Comeback Player of the Year prior to the playoffs.
Clark acknowledged her team’s need for improvement for the next game. “I think they’re good defenders, but at the same time, we made it hard on ourselves too. I thought our actions were sloppy. What we were running wasn’t great. Nobody got an easy open look, but we just have to keep shooting at this point in the year,” Clark remarked during the Fever’s postgame media session.
Clark rated her team poorly regarding their defensive efforts against the Aces. Fever head coach Stephanie White highlighted the issues, mentioning the Aces’ “easy buckets” allowed by Indiana, including 28 points from turnovers and frequent trips to the free-throw line, where Las Vegas scored 17 out of 20 attempts.
Las Vegas outscored the Fever in every quarter except the fourth. The Aces made 59.1% of their field goals and held a 27-point lead at one stage, raising concerns about whether the Fever, who led the league in scoring, are overwhelmed by the competition.
With this win, Las Vegas joins the Minnesota Lynx as favorites to claim the WNBA Finals title. They now lead 1-0 in the series against the Fever. Indiana has an opportunity to even the best-of-three series in Game 2 on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. ET.
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