INDIANAPOLIS — As point guard phenoms on the court and the league’s most recognizable names off of it, Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers dueled for just the third time in their WNBA careers Friday. The pair of No. 1 picks gave the fans their money’s worth.
Clark steered her Indiana Fever to a 98-87 victory with 29 points, 10 assists and three rebounds, while Bueckers carried the Dallas Wings with 29 points, six assists and six rebounds.
Indiana (22-12) has won three straight games and eight of its last 10. Dallas (20-15), meanwhile, has lost six of its last eight.
Third-quarter duel
Clark and Bueckers put on a show in the third quarter, helping their teams emerge from sluggish first halves. Bueckers erupted for 13 points in the frame, tied for the most she’s scored in any quarter this season. The two-time All-Star shot 4-of-6 from the field and drilled two 3s.
Not to be outdone, Clark exploded for 17 points in the period, tying the most points she’s notched in any quarter of her career on 7-of-9 shooting from the field. Earlier this season, when Clark scored 17 points in the fourth quarter of an eventual overtime loss to the Washington Mystics, she drilled five 3s. This time around, Clark used the gravity of her outside shooting to blow by the Wings’ overzealous perimeter defenders for several easy shots in the paint and at the rim.
Clark’s injury scare
Clark briefly exited Friday’s game, appearing to tweak her left ankle after accidentally stepping on the foot of Wings forward Alysha Clark in the second quarter. She left with 40.4 seconds remaining in the half.
Clark immediately started limping and grimaced as she was subbed out. The three-time All-Star gingerly walked past her team’s bench and went straight to the locker room. However, she started the second half and showed no signs of her injury scare.
With only 13 appearances, Clark’s playing time last year was severely limited due to a slew of injuries. She has been much healthier this season, appearing in 30 of 34 games despite managing a season-long back injury.
Mitchell keeps streak alive
Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell scored 8 of her 23 points in the fourth quarter to extend her WNBA single-season record to 18 straight games with at least 20 points. Mitchell was stuck at 19 points late in the fourth quarter before Clark connected with her on a backdoor pass for a layup, keeping her streak alive.
Mitchell is now two games shy of tying the WNBA record of 20 straight 20-point games, currently held by Las Vegas Aces superstar and four-time league MVP A’ja Wilson. Wilson set the record across the 2023 and 2024 seasons.
Shorthanded Wings
The Wings were without All-Star forward Jessica Shepard, who missed her second straight game due to an ankle injury. Azzi Fudd, the 2026 No. 1 pick, was also sidelined, missing her fourth straight game due to a knee injury.
Aside from Bueckers, who shot 11-of-21 from the field, the Wings struggled to find consistent and efficient offense. Arike Ogunbowale contributed 20 points on 7-of-16 shooting, but the rest of Dallas’ starters shot a combined 9-of-24 from the floor.
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
Indiana Fever, WNBA, women's sports
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