INDIANAPOLIS — If you happen to requested the Indiana Fever earlier this week how they wished their season to start, their excellent imaginative and prescient could not have appeared any higher than what truly occurred Saturday afternoon in entrance of a raucous crowd at sold-out Gainbridge Enviornment.
Caitlin Clark recorded a triple-double, DeWanna Bonner had a milestone second and there was even a scuffle for good measure because the Fever cruised to a historic 93-58 win over the Chicago Sky. The 35-point win was the second-largest margin of victory in Fever historical past.
“Positively an ideal opening day,” Bonner mentioned after transferring into third-place on the league’s all-time scoring checklist with 7,489 profession factors.
The Fever entered this season with severe expectations, which they largely introduced upon themselves. After making the playoffs final season for the primary time since 2016, they slammed the pedal to the ground on their rebuild. Amber Cox and Kelly Krauskopf have been introduced in to steer the entrance workplace, and set about revamping the teaching employees and roster.
Out went Christie Sides and in got here Stephanie White, who was named WNBA Coach of the Yr in 2023 and beforehand performed and coached for the Fever. Notably, she was an assistant below Lin Dunn when the Fever gained their solely championship again in 2012.
In a collection of trades and free agent signings, the Fever acquired Bonner, Natasha Howard, Sophie Cunningham, Brianna Turner and Sydney Colson. Final season, the Fever had 19 complete video games of playoff expertise on the roster; their veteran offseason additions had a mixed 195.
Fever’s Caitlin Clark ties Candace Parker on WNBA’s all-time triple-double list in season-opening rout of Sky
Isabel Gonzalez
Throughout coaching camp, Clark and Co. made it clear that that they had one purpose in thoughts: a championship.
The Fever cannot win a title in Could. Saturday’s victory was Recreation 1 out of 44 towards a staff which may not make the playoffs. Afterward, everybody who spoke was saying all the correct issues about specializing in themselves and in search of methods to enhance, regardless of the outcome.
“You may’t get too excessive, you may’t get too low,” Clark mentioned. “You simply acquired to remain proper within the center.”
That could be true for the staff, however everybody else is free to react with the suitable hype.
The Fever appeared sloppy a occasions. They missed too many layups and miscommunicated on quite a few passes. Late within the first quarter, Kelsey Mitchell had a free throw rim out — one in all 9 the staff missed on the day — and screamed so loud it was picked up by the in-arena mics.
And but, they gained by 35, and it simply may have been extra.
Clark, as all the time, was in full management. She completed with 20 factors, 10 rebounds, 10 assists, two steals and 4 blocks, made 4 3-pointers and located an ideal stability between scoring and making performs for others. One one possession late within the second quarter, she created a basket with out even touching the ball, as two Sky defenders adopted her on a possible hand-off, leaving Aliyah Boston on their own for a layup.
Boston was super herself, ending with 19 factors, 13 rebounds and 5 blocks on 8 of 12 from the sector. All advised, the Fever had 4 gamers rating at the least 15 factors, however none greater than 20, and 6 gamers take at the least 9 area targets, however none greater than 13.
“I believed [our balance] was actually good,” White mentioned. “I believe when we’ll be at our greatest, you are going to see like seven or eight in double figures nightly. , I believe we ahve a gaggle that is very similar to the [Indiana] Pacers. We have got a variety of nice stability. That is going to make us powerful to protect.
“We have got gamers who’re used to creating powerful photographs. We need to enable them to make simple ones.”
Much more spectacular than the offense was the protection. Along with getting extra skilled, the Fever have been decided to be a greater defensive staff this season. To this point, so good.
With Howard and Boston main the best way within the paint, the Fever held the Sky to 58 factors and 29.1% taking pictures from the sector, blocked 10 photographs and compelled 17 turnovers. Final season, the fewest quantity of factors they allowed was 70, the bottom taking pictures proportion towards them was 33.8% and so they recorded double-digit blocks simply as soon as.
“I believed we have been disruptive, I believed we got here with a stage of physicality,” White mentioned.
Boston concurred: “[We were] making them really feel us, making them take into consideration our stress.”
This will likely have solely been one “excellent” sport on Could 17, however generally one sport is all you should see. The Fever needs to be severe about competing for a title this season, as a result of they completely can.
Late within the fourth quarter, after making a pair of free throws to move Tina Thompson to develop into the league’s third-leading scorer all-time, Bonner raised her arms within the air, hugged her teammates and walked off the ground to a standing ovation.
“That was a mirrored image of residing in that second,” Bonner mentioned of her celebration. “After which once I acquired into the locker room I used to be like, ‘Man, on to the subsequent,’ as a result of we have got greater targets.”