Dave Portnoy has closely followed Caitlin Clark’s rookie season in the WNBA. The Barstool Sports founder is an unabashed supporter of the Indiana Fever sensation. Like thousands of basketball fans, he watched Monday’s showdown between the Fever and the Atlanta Dream.
With about three minutes left in the first quarter, Clark crumpled to the floor grimacing in pain. The point guard had tweaked her ankle while trying to navigate a screen set by Atlanta’s Nia Coffey. Clark eventually stood up before hobbling to the locker room.
Dave Portnoy’s reaction on X, formerly Twitter, likely summarized what Indiana Fever fans felt:
“I can’t breathe”
At the time of writing, Portnoy’s post already has 2 million views, close to 9,000 likes, and over 300 replies. For many, the reaction wasn’t just concern for the Indiana Fever’s push for a playoff appearance. Had Caitlin Clark been injured, it wouldn’t be just her team that would take a hit. The WNBA’s popularity and demand will unquestionably dip without the league’s top crowd-drawer. In the Fever’s visit to Atlanta in June, Clark’s appearance helped the Dream gather 17,575 fans at State Farm Arena. 17,608 fans attended Monday’s game to set the record for the most-watched game in Dream franchise history, per ESPN.
An injury would have dampened the mood inside the arena. Fortunately for Dave Portnoy and Clark’s millions of followers, the rookie returned in the second quarter.
Caitlin Clark has a solid outing in the Fever’s 84-79 win against Dream
After shaking off the injury scare, Caitlin Clark helped the Indiana Fever to an 84-79 victory over the Atlanta Dream. The rookie finished with 19 points, seven rebounds, seven assists, two steals and one block. More importantly, she committed just two turnovers after coughing up the ball seven times in each of her previous two games against the Dream.
Indiana led by as many as 18 points in the second quarter before Atlanta cut it to 70-59 entering the fourth quarter. Nia Coffey’s 23-footer cut the deficit to 82-79 before Kelsey Mitchell’s free throws resulted in the final margin.
Caitlin Clark seemed to limp late in the fourth quarter but contributed three points, two assists, and two rebounds. Clark’s presence alone helps the Fever, particularly on offense. Indiana had some clean looks partly because the Dream were too worried about the rookie’s shooting and passing.
The win improved the Indiana Fever’s record to 14-16 for a stranglehold of the seventh spot in the race for the playoffs. Atlanta’s loss dropped its win-loss slate to 10-19, putting them a game behind the Chicago Sky for the eighth and final postseason ticket.
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