INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — All Caitlin Clark wanted was one more chance to play this season.
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wanted → want → All
She delivered a masterpiece.
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She → deliver → masterpiece
The All-Star guard scored 27 points, had 15 assists, reached another milestone and provided the energy on both ends of the court to help keep the sixth-seeded Indiana Fever’s postseason alive with a 99-89 victory over the defending WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces.
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guard → score → champion
Kelsey Mitchell added 26 points as the crowd chanted “M-V-P” throughout the game.
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crowd → add → game
Clark became the first player in league history to produce a points-assists double-double in the first half of a playoff game.
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Clark → become → game
She had 14 points and 11 assists in the first 20 minutes, and it wasn’t just her scoring or passing that impressed.
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that → have → minutes
“I thought her energy from start to finish — I mean a double-double in the first half — was pretty incredible,” coach Stephanie White said.
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White → think → half
“The way she moved the ball, attacked from multiple positions. ...
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she → move → positions
You always expect to be able to make shots and facilitate.
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You → expect → shots
But I thought how she managed the game was really good and her defensive energy I thought was terrific.
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I → think → game
It’s what we need from her.
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we → ’ → her
”
What the Fever and Aces didn’t need was the fourth-quarter incident between a fan and four-time league MVP A’ja Wilson.
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need → need → fan
The two appeared to be pointing and shouting at one another after Sophie Cunningham drew a foul.
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Cunningham → appear → foul
Wilson walked toward the seats and two teammates, an assistant coach and security intervened to separate everyone.
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Wilson → walk → everyone
Wilson was assessed a technical foul for stepping off the court but was not ejected.
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Wilson → assess → court
The man was escorted out by security but was allowed to return because the Fever said he did not violate the fan code of conduct policy.
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he → escort → policy
“I didn’t exactly see what happened, I kind of saw the aftermath,” Aces coach Becky Hammon said.
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Hammon → see → aftermath
“I’ve never A’ja Wilson go like that so whatever was done I can tell you she felt very disrespected in that moment.
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she → go → moment
I’ve never seen her really react like that ever, so whatever it was, it doesn’t have any place, I don’t think in an arena.
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I → see → arena
The incident seemed to motivate Las Vegas, which was trailing 90-79 when it happened at the 4:10 mark, and when Clark fouled out with 2:45 to play, the Aces got as close as 92-87.
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Aces → seem → 92
But the Fever managed to hang on.
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Fever → manage → ?
It was a complete turnabout from Game 1 when Wilson dominated the middle and Las Vegas controlled the game.
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Vegas → dominate → game
This time, Jackie Young scored 31 points while Wilson had 22 points and nine rebounds and passed Rebekkah Brunson for fourth on the league’s career playoff list.
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Wilson → score → list
The Aces looked poised for a second straight blowout when they closed the first quarter on a 9-2 spurt and started the second with a 3 to take a 29-18 lead.
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they → look → lead
But Clark had something else in mind — she tied up Wilson for a jump ball, grabbed the ball and walked into the baseline corner while pumping her arm toward the crowd.
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she → have → crowd
Then Clark put on a dribbling clinic, made nifty pass after nifty pass and became both a harassing presence on defense and the Fever’s emotional leader during a 20-6 second-quarter run.
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Clark → put → run
The spurt ended with Raven Johnson’s short jumper to give Indiana a 46-39 lead.
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spurt → end → lead
It never trailed again.
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It → trail → ?
“The way I looked at it, your back’s up against the wall,” Clark said.
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Clark → look → wall
“This is the only opportunity you’re guaranteed to have is these 40 minutes, and you know you’re going to go down swinging if you’re going to lose.
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you → guarantee → ?
But I think we had the mentality like this was one we were going to win, no matter what and do it for our fans.
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we → think → fans
Up next
A rematch between these teams in Las Vegas on Thursday night with the winner advancing to the league’s semifinal round.
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winner → advance → round
The Aporia
