Caitlin Clark’s growing chemistry with Indiana Fever teammate Aliyah Boston was on full display on Friday as Indiana secured a dominant 91-79 road win over the Atlanta Dream .
In front of a sold-out crowd of 17,575 fans at State Farm Arena, the Fever’s star tandem was firing on all cylinders. Clark finished the contest with 16 points, seven assists and four rebounds, while Boston recorded her 5th double-double of the season, amassing 10 points, 10 rebounds and one assist.
Prior to tipoff, Clark put the league on notice, asserting that she and Boston are just starting to find their rhythm playing together. “I feel like it's been something that has definitely taken some time to get used to playing with each other,” the rookie guard told reporters. “Obviously, at the beginning of the season, we're just tossed onto the court and here, try to play with each other, try to figure each other out. So we're trying to figure that out on the go.
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"I think at times you can definitely tell we were always in sync, and I think that goes for the whole team. But I think now our pick-and-roll action has been a lot better. I think Aliyah’s just finishing so well around the rim."
The Fever’s dominant pick-and-roll worked seamlessly in the opening minutes of the third quarter. Clark received the ball near the sideline and navigated around screens from guard Kelsey Mitchell and Boston. After drawing two defenders behind the arc, she delivered a jumping pass to the center, who muscled off a defender and finished a contested layup.
Clark showcased her passing prowess throughout the game, dishing a no-look dime to forward NaLyssa Smith nearly halfway through the fourth quarter. Earlier in the evening, the 22-year-old became the fastest WNBA player to reach 100 career assists since Seattle Storm guard Sue Bird in 2002.
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Boston, meanwhile, continued to impose her will in the paint, ending the night a perfect 10-of-10 shooting from the field. “Aliyah is the most efficient shot in basketball, and she's so good at it. I wanna get her the ball as much as we can,” Clark said before the game. “I think we can still get her the ball more.
“So I think our connection will continue to grow as we play more games and get more practice with one another. But I think you're kind of just seeing the beginning of it, honestly.”
After beginning the season 1-8, the Fever (7-10) have caught fire as of late, winning their last four games and six of their last eight. The impressive turnaround can largely be attributed to a growing confidence and togetherness that’s evident among their players.
The Fever will look to keep their win streak alive on Sunday when they travel to Chicago to face off against Angel Reese and the Sky .
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