Caitlin Clark in thriller vs Atlanta (May 9)

The Indiana Fever, guided by rookie Caitlin Clark, concluded their preseason by edging out the Atlanta Dream 83-80 on Thursday night.

Indiana will now shift its focus to the start of the regular season on May 14 in Connecticut. The Fever’s rookie sensation demonstrated why she’s highly touted during her second WNBA preseason game.

Caitlin Clark struggled with her shooting in the opening quarter, making just two of six shots from the field and missing all three attempts from beyond the arc. However, she found other ways to make an impact, dishing out four assists in the first nine minutes.

Throughout the game, Clark continued to facilitate for her teammates, approaching a feat she frequently achieved in college: a triple-double. Clark recorded 17 triple-doubles during her four years at Iowa, ranking her second in Division I women’s basketball history, behind Sabrina Ionescu’s 26.

Though it wouldn’t have been recognized in the WNBA’s official records, Clark concluded the game with 12 points, eight rebounds and six assists.

Caitlin Clark and Katie Lou Samuelson dominate Atlanta Dreams with strong second half

After joining the Fever this past offseason, Katie Lou Samuelson was set to make her debut last Friday against Dallas, but a last-minute ankle injury during pregame warmups sidelined her. On Thursday, she finally took the court for her highly anticipated debut.

Samuelson had to shake off some rust in the first half, managing just one point from a free throw. However, the expected Fever starter found her rhythm in the third quarter, hitting two 3-pointers and scoring a layup from her own steal. She finished with 11 points, three rebounds, and two steals.

Three minutes into the second quarter, second-year guard Grace Berger entered the game with the Fever trailing by 15 points. Her addition complemented the duo of rookie guards, Caitlin Clark and Celeste Taylor, along with second-year player Aliyah Boston and third-year NaLyssa Smith.

They faced off against an experienced, veteran Dream lineup featuring Aerial Powers and Tina Charles. Yet, the challenge didn’t intimidate them.

Within her first four minutes on the court, Berger distributed four assists and ended the half with four points, five assists, and three rebounds in just seven minutes. Clark, who was in the starting lineup, had accumulated eight points and five assists by halftime. Taylor contributed six points, including a buzzer-beating putback that slashed the 15-point deficit to just one.

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