2024 WNBA Draft No. 1 pick Caitlin Clark continues to improve, dropping a professional career-high 30 points in Indiana’s 88-82 loss to Los Angeles on Tuesday.
She also had six assists and five rebounds alongside three steals and three blocks. Clark is the first rookie to record 30 points, three blocks, and three steals in a game in WNBA history. She’s just the fourth player overall to register the stat line.
Clark's 30-point game is also the third-most points by a rookie in Fever history behind Tamika Catchings, who twice scored 32 points in her rookie season. Clark has now become the fastest rookie in league history to record 100 points and 50 assists.
"I think I just played with an aggressive mindset," Clark said after the game. "I think that was the biggest thing — to play downhill the best I could. We did some good things and then we just kind of shot ourselves in the foot."
But even Clark’s numbers weren't enough, as the Fever went on to their seventh out of eight games. However, the team has played eight games in 14 days and there hasn’t been much time to rest. Despite signs of growth since the beginning of the season, Clark recorded seven turnovers — a game high.
"The biggest thing for me is, when I get in there, I still get a little indecisive — and that’s honestly where a lot of my turnovers are still coming from," Clark explained. "Just a little indecision when I do get my feet in the paint, but I think I’ve done a better job of probing and finding people open or finishing at the rim. I think I’ve done a better job as well of understanding who’s guarding me.
"That will continue to get a lot better, [I’ll] continue to take care of the ball a little bit better and find people, not be a little indecisive – I’ve got to make decisions a little bit faster once I do get my feet in the paint."
Down at the half, Indiana fought back to take the lead in the third quarter. But a 28-8 run from Los Angeles left the Fever unable to recover, with the Sparks ultimately prevailing 88-82.
