Caitlin Clark sends strong warning about Angel Reese, Dream after Fever victory originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Caitlin Clark helped the Indiana Fever earn an important road victory Sunday, but she left Atlanta with even more respect for Angel Reese and the Dream. Indiana opened its five-game road trip with a 95-91 win at State Farm Arena, securing a split of the four-game regular-season series between the two teams. Clark led the way with 26 points and nine assists as the Fever survived another close battle with one of the WNBA’s most talented teams.
Afterward, Clark made it clear that the Fever may not have seen the last of Atlanta this season.
“This is a team that will be scary in the playoffs,” Clark said. “They’re great at what they do. They have a lot of different weapons.”
It was a significant compliment from the Fever star following a game that once again showed how little separates the two teams.
Caitlin Clark praises Atlanta’s star power
Clark stopped short of putting a special label on the Fever-Dream rivalry, instead pointing to the level of competition throughout the WNBA. However, she acknowledged that Indiana’s four games against Atlanta this season consistently brought out the best in both teams.
“I think, obviously, they’re a very talented team,” Clark said. “I feel like every matchup we’ve had this year has been really close, and it’s been a battle.”
Clark specifically highlighted Atlanta guards Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray, calling them two of the best players at their position in the league. Howard’s size and length present an especially difficult matchup for opposing backcourts. Reese also made her presence felt Sunday. The Dream forward recorded 15 points, 14 rebounds and six assists, although Clark improved to 6-2 against her longtime rival in their head-to-head WNBA matchups.
The focus after the game was less about the two individual stars and more about what Indiana proved against a potential postseason opponent.
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Clark believes games against contenders such as Atlanta can reveal exactly where the Fever stand as the playoffs approach.
“These are the games you get up for,” Clark said. “That’s what’s fun about competition. You want to play the best, it brings out the best in you. And I thought we stepped up to the challenge and were really good tonight.”
Indiana needed one of Clark’s best performances to finish the job. Her 26 points powered the offense, while her nine assists allowed the Fever to keep finding answers whenever the Dream threatened to take control. The victory gave Indiana momentum at the beginning of a demanding road trip and ended the regular-season series at 2-2. Any fifth meeting would have to come in the postseason.
That possibility suddenly looks much more intriguing.
Clark expects Atlanta to be dangerous if the Dream reach the playoffs. Sunday’s result showed the Dream should feel the same way about the Fever.