"WNBA Highlights Indiana Fever vs Los Angeles Sparks 1st QTR | Sep 4, 2024 | Full Game"

play after spending seven years in Connecticut a fever clinched the playoff birth last night they look to keep the good times rolling here this evening from gamebridge Fieldhouse and this fever offense has been sizzling back-to- Back 100o Games each of their last two wins the fever coming off a late Victory against the Dallas Wings Clark on a step back off the mark on her first look here tonight from Indianapolis this is an LA Sparks team behind the play of dear Hami who leads them in scoring this is a long and athletic team they have size at every position over Indiana except for the point guard spot but they have a quickness Factor there with Odyssey Sims being guarded by Caitlyn Clark last time these two teams matched up it was here in Indianapolis as Hami is denied Inside by Nelissa Smith here in Indianapolis and the Sparks gotten better their second level their helps side defense has improved since the break this is Odyssey Sims on a hardship deal and that's off the mark on her first look to spent part of the year in Dallas as well she's played really well here in La played well in Dallas too and that's an over and back on Indiana Clark arguing your case that it was deflected in the beginning of the Season Christy sides and Caitlyn Clark especially was blitzed on most ball screen coverages that's the first Blitz we've seen in a while since the Olympic break she's only been blitzed a handful of times and it's been situational let's see if La stays in it I would since she turned it over here's the impressive rookie rakia Jackson averaging 13 points per game off the mark on her first look here that's knocked out of bounds by azire Stevens and fever basketball well this is a pace for La that has to be managed you can let Indiana get out on a break and you can't let Kelsey Mitchell get going cuz she has been phenomenal in the last seven gam at a season High 36 in the Indiana win on Sunday that tied the second most points in a game in her career she has seven straight with 20 or more that is a franchise record she's pulling away a big lead in that category is Hami showing off the craftiness inside deer Hami has excellent footwork she's got quickness she can create shots around the rim and she's got range Boston back door pass Mitchell lost the handle underneath and had it deflected and stolen Aire Stevens there's that length I'm talking about that La has 66 AER Stevens in the passing Lane here's Aaliyah Boston going to work on Stevens and Boston wins the match up you got to test it oneon-one defensively but Boston is so good when she gets to the midline and she's become even better finishing on the left side of the floor here is Stevens who will launch and off the mark on a three El AG is one of six here in the early going and Clark looking for Mitchell ahead that time couldn't connect most teams have toit defensively Beaver have turned it over three times here in the opening three minutes it was something that Caitlyn Clark pinpointed as an area that needs to be improved too many turnovers EV in that win this time it's Indiana with the defense Lexi Hull going Coast to Coast Lexi Hall's play since she became in the starting lineup has been one of the not talked about enough changes for this team she's certainly athletic on the defensive end she takes on one of the tougher perimeter assignments and she can shoot the three and she's been really shooting it well since the break her best numbers overall actually in her career here's Mitchell putting on the moves and Mitchell this has been quite a pater for Kelsey Mitchell the leading score in the Eastern Conference out of the Olympic break Hami goes back to work and the scoop shot rolls it in Kelsey Mitchell is shooting better than 45% from the three-point line and it sets up her ability to drive she is a hard check tuck to keep in front Clark step back hits a three there's always a different energy in the building if Caitlyn gets going early [Music] [Applause] [Music] here is Hami who will fire from three off the Mark's missed their first four from out there and Caitlyn Clark looking to push the pace Clark showing off the moves Clark oh to the rim just couldn't finish she did all the hard stuff and then couldn't finish the easy on the other end it's rakia Jackson the rookie performance in the month of August and continuing here through September now rookie of the month has only been around since 2010 but she's the first player ever to win rookie of the month and player of the month that courtesy of across the timeline of course that doesn't count Candace Parker's rookie season where she was MVP here is Nelissa Smith fire away and Miss on a three ball Sparks offense just 11th in the WNBA as Odyssey Sims gets inside and finishes they are prone to pull off the upset on Lexi [Music] [Applause] hole so an early five points for Odyssey Sims as Kurt Miller has had to deal with a lot of injuries this year Cameron Brink some miscommunication on Indiana's end that's the fourth turnover so you wonder you clinch the playoffs what's Indiana going to Lear here the last couple of days the winning streak they clinched the playoffs all the individual Awards the coaching Awards so they're going to be tested here tonight and La has beaten some of the top teams in the WNBA mental toughness you're right lost seven of eight the one win is New York the top team in the leag there's Boston who gets inside and lays it [Applause] in love what Caitlyn Clark had to say about winning that award saying she felt like Kelsey Mitchell was equally if not more deserving and that she's kind of sharing it with her those two as you touched on have so Dynamic especially out of the Olympic break Ambi just puts her head down and can't finish tipped out to Clark La getting back defensively as Smith gets inside and draws the foul franchise no question and ahead of schedule right Christy sides also shared that when Rick fusen hired her from Pacer sports and entertainment asked you know how long do you think it's going to take to get the playoff she said four maybe three she got a four-year contract back out of it and in her second year as the head coach and her first head coaching experience she's got the fever in the sixth spot in the playoffs fever have not been there since 2016 tamaa Catchings was still playing when that happened Odyssey Sims find some space but can't hit on a [Applause] three Clark with a hesitation Clark gets inside and lays it in instead of turning it over Indiana playing downhill right now coming off the timeout and I'm looking for them to keep going to Aaliyah Boston in that match up inside here's Hami fighting through traffic flips it up shot won't fall and Boston comes up with the rebound f plus four here on the glass in the early going and Indiana's hit seven of their first 10 shots turned it over four times I love this pistol action in transition ktie L serson getting some minutes in the first quarter over and back in here is Stevens on the roll oh can't finish well they're getting to the rim they're just not [Applause] finishing Mitchell hand off Boston and bounces it back for she was held Harry McDonald who's just checked in called for the hold on Boston one of the she's really good in the short roll and that has evolved over the course of the season that's not something she was doing last year Mitchell catch and shoot whistle there to hit a three and let's check on where this foul is and it fits simultaneous to the shot but we saw the three-point signal being put up there by official Angel Kent so they're going to count the baskets and then who's shooting the free throw here 75% from Beyond The Arc since the break and she's coming off that 36o performance in Dallas she scored over onethird of Indiana's points cuz they scored 100 it's amazing performance by Mitchell and just in case you thought maybe two days off would cool her off she hits her first three shots here tonight Mitchell leads all scores with seven just a stunning run here from Kelsey Mitchell one of the best all time in Fever history Mitchell doing a really good job Froning Ria Jackson and it's McDonald who knocks down a three this is a smaller team on the perimeter right now and there's a misconnection between Boston and Clark they're just a half a beat off on the offensive end tonight as Indiana the shot is falling they're eight of 11 but that's six turnovers in the quarter Indiana did strug with that in Dallas CLK talking about a pregame saying look we put up a 100 and turned it over way too many times here's Lee Yu Off the Mark first attempt really good defense there Pat by Indiana Yu is a big small young physical post who can run off screening action who can go screen this is a young player that has an incredible upside at 67 playing in her second year in the league here she is number 28 back door pass finds Kia nurse La Miss multiple shots at The Rim here in the first quarter Clark thought about it McDonald went down and an offensive foul on Indiana that's one way to slow down a transition game Sparks though don't have any points off of the fever turnover so it hasn't hurt them in that regard that will continue now here's Mitchell just weaving her way through the entire defense oh Mitchell going get the layup to go such a great change of pace change of Direction so fun to watch Jackson Nice footwork and I think La has missed five or six layups around the rim here in the first quarter oh there's a switch that Kelsey Mitchell's got a light there's a post up action Here Comes help it comes Boston flips her shoulder and it's an offensive foul offensive foul is Indiana's eighth turnover of the quarter Burell who's just checked in and nurse dials up a three Kean nurse has made the most triples for La that's her 41st Clark stepping back on the Baseline knocking it down from the midrange that's a beautiful mid-range step back off one foot we've talked about her runners in floaters that she worked on in the Olympic break well she's added that to her game as well Mitchell each have seven Donald lobbing it up hee wasn't there Burell able to save it in the corner barell attacking the Baseline and draws the [Applause] foul the Indiana has not been able to pull away here in the first quarter LA's missed shots around the the rim taking eight less shots because of that turnover they off the mark on her first Christy sides was a little concerned about how her team would show up I mean you just kind of you might relax just a tad you're playing La they've lost seven out of eight you've already clinched the playoffs I think we'll see a much different looking team in the second quarter still a lot on the line seatings wise f a lot of work to do to try to secure the six spot Clark will lach off balance nearly got it