In the process, the Sky snapped the Fever’s four-game winning streak and overtook them in the standings, moving into the eighth and final playoff spot. After an extremely close first half, the Fever broke the game open in the third quarter behind Caitlin Clark, who put on a passing clinic. They were ahead by about 15 points midway through the frame and looked like they were on their way to another win.
The Sky had other ideas, however, and closed the frame on a 7-0 run to cut the deficit to eight heading into the fourth. From there, it was all sky blue, as he held the Fever to 15 points on 5 of 16 from the field. Angel Reese, who scored the go-ahead bucket in the final minute, set a new career-high for scoring with 25 points and 16 rebounds and became the first rookie since A’Ja Wilson to have 25 points and 15 rebounds in a game. Went. In 2018. Camila Cardoso added a career-high 16 points and 10 reboundsWhile Chennady Carter went for 23 points.
Clark led the Fever with 17 points, six rebounds, 13 assists and four steals. He not only set a new career high in assists, but also set a franchise record. Kelsey Mitchell led the Fever in the scoring department with 24 points, and Aliyah Boston tallied 18 points, seven rebounds and six assists.
Here are some highlights from the game:
Reese bounces back, makes history in the process
At the end of the third quarter on Sunday, it was looking like a forgettable afternoon for Angel Reese and Skye. She was quiet, and the team was down to 15. Then, suddenly, he flipped a switch and burned Wintrust Arena down. First, an incredible catch and finish in transition for an and-one, then a pair of free throws for a key 7-0 run in the final minute of the third that cut the deficit to single digits.
She carried that energy into the fourth quarter and was unstoppable in the paint. NaLissa Smith and the Fever had no answer for Reese’s energy and physicality, and she scored repeatedly on drop-offs and putbacks. With less than a minute to play, he positioned Smith and maneuvered around him for the go-ahead bucket.
“I’m a dog, you can’t teach that,” Reese said during his walk-off interview.
When it was all said and done, Reese had 25 points and 16 rebounds on 8 of 12 from the field and 9 of 11 from the free throw line. She set a new career high in scoring and became the first rookie since A’ja Wilson in 2018 to have a 25-point, 15-rebound performance.
After the win, Reese shared a moment with Hall of Famer Sherrill Swoopes, who received a long standing ovation during the game.
“I wouldn’t want to share it (what Swoopes told me), but he said he was proud of me,” Reese said. “I’m already being coached by a legend, but being able to have Sheryl Swoopes in my corner, she talked to me even before I entered my name in the draft and she told me she wanted to be a part of me.” But trust me… having that person in my corner is something that I’ve always needed, she understands me, she knows what I’m going through, what I’m going through. “And just to be able to have someone who has been a great mentor is extremely inspiring to me.”
Clark puts on a passing clinic
Less than two minutes into the game, Caitlin Clark grabbed a rebound, looked up and threw an outlet pass to offensive tackle Kelsey Mitchell. The ball went straight through Mitchell’s hands to force a turnover, an inauspicious start to the contest.
However, Clark kept moving forward and eventually she was able to catch up with her teammates. It was fitting that Mitchell knocked down a 3-pointer from the corner in the third quarter, giving Clark his 10th assist of the day and his first double-digit assist game. Clark finished with 13 dimes and was especially spectacular in the third quarter, when she assisted on six of the Fever’s nine shots.
“I have confidence in my teammates,” Clark said. “Obviously 13 assists, that means my teammates scored on 13 of my passes. That’s a really big number. I’ll give them the ball every time to give them a chance to score. I trust them. ”
Clark’s 13 assists were not only a career high, but also a new Fever franchise record. She wasn’t just playing in this either, as she recorded 17 points, six rebounds and four steals. In doing so, she became the first rookie since Odyssey Sims in 2014 with a 15-point, 10-assist performance, as well as the first rookie to hit 15 points, 10 assists and five 3s in a game.
Cardoso shines with best performance ever
No. 3 overall pick Camila Cardoso got off to a disappointing start to her professional career when she injured her shoulder in her first preseason game. Thankfully, she was able to avoid surgery, but she ended up missing the first two weeks of the season.
Since making his debut on June 1, he has struggled to adjust to the pace of the professional game at times, and has often faced foul trouble. However, there have been some bright moments, and his talent and potential have been evident.
He finally put it all together on Sunday, turning in the best performance of his young career so far: 16 points on 7 of 9 from the field, 10 rebounds and three assists. His size and athleticism were often too much for the Fever’s small frontcourt, and Cardoso utilized his attributes very well all night.