Caitlin Clark, off to a strong start with the Indiana Fever in her WNBA career, is preparing to face one of the league’s most iconic players. The Fever will be playing against the Phoenix Mercury and Diana Taurasi on Sunday afternoon, and Clark shared her thoughts on the anticipated encounter with the legendary player.
When asked if the matchup with Taurasi brought extra excitement, Clark responded thoughtfully.
“Yeah, for sure. That’s someone I grew up idolizing, looking up to, and wanting to be like someday,” Clark said, via Desert Wave Media. “Obviously, she’s one of the greatest players our game has ever seen, the greatest scorer our game has ever seen. So for me, I’m excited. That’s fun. It’s almost like a dream come true. You get to live out your dream while playing against the best there ever has been. So it’s fun for me for sure.”
Taurasi also expressed respect for Clark and the Fever.
“Indiana is a super talented young team, they are going to come in here and play well,” Taurasi said. “The beauty about being young is you don’t know any better. You can play carefree, just go into buildings and let it fly.”
Clark and her team will certainly be ready to take on the challenge Sunday afternoon. The Fever have won six of their last 10 games but have lost their last two, holding a 7-12 record and trailing the Chicago Sky by one spot for the fifth-place seed in the WNBA playoff standings. The matchup with the Mercury will be tough, but the Fever aim to leverage their strengths for a victory.
**Clark and the Fever Face a Veteran Team**
In addition to Taurasi, the Mercury have star players like Kahleah Copper and Brittney Griner. Copper, in her first year with Phoenix, is having a stellar season, averaging 22.7 points per game, which ranks her third in the league. Slowing her down will be a significant challenge for Clark and the Fever. Griner, also performing impressively, is averaging 19.3 points and 7.6 rebounds per game through seven games, her best since 2021.
The Fever will counter with their own strong interior game led by Aliyah Boston, who averages 12.9 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game. Boston aims to hold her ground against Phoenix’s frontcourt and find a rhythm with Clark. Their pairing has had its moments, as Clark noted after their June 19th win over the Washington Mystics.
“There was a couple here and there,” Clark said about her missed passes to Boston. “One was a set design where I kinda just assumed Aliyah would be open and I didn’t even really look before I threw it. So I think just slowing down a little bit.”
With time, Clark and Boston are expected to find their groove, hoping for everything to click smoothly against the Mercury on Sunday.
*Christopher Smith is a sports journalist covering the Chicago Sky, NBA, NCAA Basketball, and the NFL for ClutchPoints. An Aurora, Illinois native, he graduated from Creighton University and has bylines at Last Word on Sports and FanSided.*
