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Caitlin Clark (Source: CNN)
In front of a Sparks record crowd of 19,103, the Indiana Fever defeated the Los Angeles Sparks 78-73 on Friday night to end their season-opening five-game losing streak. Caitlin Clark had her first WNBA double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds.
With 18 points, Kelsey Mitchell led Indiana (1-5) while Temi Fagbenle and Aliyah Boston both scored 17. Clark had the most rebounds of his career. With 2:27 left in the game, she eventually hit a 3-pointer after missing her first seven attempts, which sparked wild acclaim and shouts.
The game showed the WNBA's youth and future, with No. 1 draft pick Clark facing No. 2 pick Cameron Brink and fourth pick Rickea Jackson of the Sparks. For the Sparks (1-3), Brink finished with 15 points and 9 rebounds, while Jackson scored 16 points off the bench. Dearica Hamby finished with 12 rebounds and 18 points.
For the Sparks' opening game at Crypto.com Arena this season, the largest home crowd in the franchise included Jason Sudeikis, Rosie O'Donnell, Kathy Gryphon, DeMar DeRozan of the Chicago Bulls, Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors, USC star JuJu Watkins, teammate Rayah Marshall, and coach Lindsay Gottlieb.
Caitlin Clark flashed a thumbs up and grinned as she proceeded across the floor after the buzzer, and the fans applauded her every move. Boston, Fagbenle, and Mitchell controlled the fourth quarter, with Mitchell making consecutive 3-pointers.
Caitlin Clark and Indiana Fever took away the game
Brink hit a three-pointer, and Lexi Brown scored, bringing the Sparks to 73-71. But Clark replied with her second 3-pointer with 40 seconds remaining, and the fans shouted once more as Indiana maintained its lead, 76-71. The Fever made only 7 of 25 long-range shots, while the Sparks made 5 of 24.
The Sparks' first two home games were held in Long Beach; however, the game was shifted to downtown Los Angeles due to the presence of Clark and Indiana Fever. On Tuesday, the teams will play again in Indianapolis.