The Los Angeles Sparks took on the Indiana Fever for the second and final time this season.
Both teams are coming off losses and looking to bounce back by getting their second win of the
season.
Layshia Clarendon was ruled out due to being in concussion protocol. Sparks are also without
Azura Stevens, who has yet to make her season debut. With Clarendon out, Rickea Jackson got
her first career start.
For Indiana, Temi Fagebenle got the start for the second straight game. Kristy Wallace was also
inserted into the starting lineup.
Game Recap
The first quarter was a slow start for both teams despite them playing quickly. Indiana
started the game on a 6-2 run before the Sparks answered with a 9-0 to lead by five. They went on a 17-5 run, increasing their lead to eight.
Indiana's offense was completely out of sync, and that has been a major story to start the season.
They shot 25% from the field and 22.2% from three in the quarter. A lot of it came from
missing too many layups. Meanwhile, the Sparks shot 58.3% from the field and 66.7% from
three.
Despite their big run and the Fever's offensive struggles, the game was close due to the Sparks
turning the ball over six times. They also gave up seven second-chance points. Indiana cut the
lead to four before they committed two bad fouls which put Los Angeles at the free-throw line,
allowing them to push the lead yet again.
Caitlin Clark went on a personal 5-0 run at the beginning of the second quarter which cut the
lead to 4. They got it within two but they started turning the ball over which allowed the Sparks
to get easy buckets in transition.
Neither team had a good rhythm going on offense due to the missed shots and foul calls.
Indiana ended up going on an 11-0 run which started at the end of the second quarter and
continued in the third quarter. That run allowed them to regain the lead for the first time since the
first quarter.
The Sparks did not score until the 6:22 mark in the quarter. Indiana maintained the lead and led
by as many as five before Los Angeles ended the quarter on an 8-0 run to retake the lead. Both
teams took turns making shots in the fourth quarter until the game got within double digits, as
Indiana was going three minutes without scoring.
The Fever were able to get it within single digits again but the Sparks ultimately pulled out the
win as time was not on Indiana's side.
Kia Nurse led the team with 22 points and was ⅚ from three. Aari McDonald had a big night,
scoring a career-high 21 points off the bench. Dearica Hamby finished with a double-double
consisting of 17 points and 10 rebounds. She also led the team with five assists.
Aliyah Boston finished with 17 points and six rebounds. Kelsey Mitchell finished with 15 points.
Rookies Continue to Shine
Rickea Jackson finished with 12 points and two steals in her first career start. She made some
defensive plays and was very aggressive at getting to the rim. She has been good for the Sparks
off the bench, so it is no surprise how well she played as a starter.
Despite the loss, Caitlin Clark had her best game of the season so far. She finished with 30
points, five rebounds, six assists, three steals, and three blocks. This was the first 30-point game
of her career, and certainly not the last.
Cameron Brink had a quiet night, only scoring three points. But she had three rebounds, two
assists, two blocks, and a steal. Brink can impact the game in many, whether
she is scoring or being a monster on the defensive.
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