Indiana Fever vs Los Angeles Sparks [TODAY] (09/04/2024) | WNBA Season 2024

playoff bound Indiana Fever take the floor for the first time oh what's the significance here as this franchise is back in the playoffs you know fun all day today and the ride just getting ready to start the Sparks the number four overall pick in the player of the week as she has put forth year in La after spending seven years in Connecticut against the Dallas Wings Clark on a step back off the mark last time these two teams matched up it was here in Indianapolis this is Odyssey Sims on a hardship deal arguing your face that it was deflected in the beginning Jackson averaging 13 points per game off the mark on her first break and you can't let Kelsey Mitchell get going cuz she has been record she's pulling away a big lead in that category Boston going to work on Stevens and Boston wins the most teams have to play Aaliyah Boston straight up because she is a willing passer and if you bring two she'll find an open three-point shooter so you have to try to go one-on-one at least to start the game to see if you can manage it defensively B 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 turn over receiver in that win this time it's Indiana with the defense Lexi Hull going Coast to Coast Lexi Hull's play since she became in the starting lineup has been one of the not talked about enough changes for this team she certainly have atic 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 heater 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 yeah 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 [Applause] early here is Hami who will fire from three Off the Mark they'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 Ria Jackson the rookie with 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's 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 maybe New York a week ago today they beaten La a couple of times and Odyssey Sims a veteran and played well here on some hardships who was that foul called it on Lexi hle [Applause] so an early five points for Odyssey Sims as Kurt Miller has had to deal with a lot of injuries this year Cameron Brink miscommunication on Indiana's end that's the four turnover so you wonder you clinch the playoffs what's Indiana going to look like when they show up right are they going to lose their focus are they going to just be you know going through the motions here today just miscommunication between Mitchell and Clark have been Talk of the Town 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 Pat you look at LA's lost seven of eight but the one win is New York the top team in the league there's Boston who gets inside and lays it [Music] in 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 been so Dynamic especially out of the Olympic break Andy just puts her head down and can't finish tipped out to Clark they getting back defensively as Smith gets inside and draws the foul Clark with an early to reach the school Clark said she doesn't like to party there's still a lot of work to be done Kelsey thank you and yeah clinching at midnight this morning last night not exactly the way that maybe you draw it up but still an exciting moment for the franchise 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 playoffs she said four maybe three she got a four-year contract 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 to mik Catchings was still playing when that happened Odyssey Sims finds some space but can't hit on a three Clark with the hesitation Clark gets inside and lays it in instead up 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 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 [Music] transition kerson getting some minutes in the first quarter over and back and it's Indiana's fifth turnover once again Caitlyn Clark frustrated on and over and back [Applause] kin I don't think that's endearing to the officials do you I would guess not yeah I don't think so she's arguing that on both of those she kind of put up the two finger on both of those feeling like there was a deflection Christy sides calling Eric BR looking for an explanation see if we can tell that just looked off of Samuelson at least on that one and samelson shaking a little bit of rust [Applause] [Music] too 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 not talked about skills of Aaliyah Boston I don't think enough is her screening ability I mean she had 65 understand angle she's good in the twist action 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 if it's 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 the SP Kati lerson should be the one at the free throw line now Mitchell she's shooting 45% 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 fronting 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 struggle with that in Dallas Clark 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 P by Indiana Yu is a big 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 La Miss multiple shots at The Rim here in the first quarter Clark thought about it and McDonald went down and an offensive foul on Indiana that is their seventh turnover here in the quarter there's ktie Lou watch ktie Lou right [Music] there McDonald sets up to draw the charge that's one way to slow down a transition game the 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 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 to light there's a post up action Here Comes help it comes Boston flips the shoulder and it's an offensive foul great job by LA to mix it up right here's a mismatch inside K and nurse under sized against Boston Ham's going to come into your picture right here to bring [Applause] help that offensive foul is indan his eighth turnover of the quarter Burell who's just checked in and nurse dials up a three Nur Kean nurse has made the most triples for La that's her 41st Clark stepping back on the Baseline knocking it down from the mid-range that's a beautiful mid-range step back off one foot we've talked about her Runners and floaters that she worked on in the Olympic break where she's added that to her game as well and Mitchell each have seven [Applause] Donald lobbing it up he wasn't there Burell able to save it in the corner barell attacking the Baseline and draws the [Applause] foul Indiana has not been able to pull away here in the first quarter LA's missed shots around the the rim and Indiana has turned the ball over that's why it's such a low scoring first quarter and Indiana shooting 64% from the floor taking eight eight less shots because of that turnover well off the mark on her first chrisy 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 people have a lot of work to do to try to secure the sixth spot Clark will launch up balance nearly got it to go take us through the first quarter of action with that back court of Clark and Mitchell d