Caitlin Clark Shines in Historic WNBA Debut as Indiana Fever Defeat Atlanta Dream
Watching Caitlin Clark make history on the basketball court is becoming a regular occurrence. The 2024 WNBA No. 1 overall draft pick continued to break records as she led the Indiana Fever to an 84-79 victory over the Atlanta Dream on Monday. With this win, Clark recorded her 21st game of the season with at least 15 points and five assists, setting a new WNBA record for the most such games in a single season. In this latest performance, Clark scored 19 points, dished out seven assists, and also contributed seven rebounds, two steals, and a block. She was particularly effective from beyond the arc, hitting four three-pointers, which brought her season total to 85. This remarkable achievement ties the rookie record for most three-pointers in a season, a record that was previously set by the Dream’s own Rhyne Howard in 2022. The game was played in front of a massive crowd of 17,608 fans at the Atlanta Hawks’ State Farm Arena, marking the highest attendance ever for a WNBA game in Georgia. This game was the fifth time this season that a WNBA team has set a new attendance record when the Fever were the visiting team. After the game, Clark reflected on the significance of the crowd, expressing her excitement about the growing popularity of women’s basketball. She noted how encouraging it is to see such strong support and the increased attention the sport has garnered over the past year.
“I feel like I’m just a kid who loves playing basketball and having a lot of fun,” Caitlin Clark remarked after the game. She expressed genuine amazement at the incredible support she experiences when she steps into these packed arenas. "I look around, and it’s just incredible," she said.
Clark admitted that while she may be getting somewhat accustomed to playing in front of large crowds, she never takes it for granted. "I don’t show up expecting these crowds," she explained. "Even if I’ve gotten a bit used to it, it’s still something that never gets old. It’s really cool, especially when I think back to my younger self, attending games as a little girl. If I had walked into a building like this and seen such a huge crowd, I think I would have been in heaven."
Reflecting on her impact, Clark shared how much joy it brings her to see the influence she, her teammates, and women’s basketball players across the country are having on the sport. "It gives me so much happiness to see the positive effect we've been able to make," she added.
With this victory, Indiana improved to 14-16, placing them third in the Eastern Conference and seventh overall in the league standings. This achievement marks the team’s highest regular-season win total since 2016. Kelsey Mitchell led the team with a season-high 29 points, continuing her impressive streak of scoring at least 20 points in four consecutive games, according to the Fever.
During the game, Kelsey Mitchell showcased her aggressive play by driving to the basket, while 2023 WNBA Rookie of the Year Aliyah Boston delivered a solid performance, recording a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds. Damiris Dantas also made a significant contribution, scoring 11 points with impressive efficiency, shooting 80% from the field in less than 10 minutes of play.
Indiana started the game strong, opening with an 11-3 run and never looking back. They built up an 18-point lead with about seven minutes left in the third quarter, putting them in a dominant position. Although the Atlanta Dream made a spirited comeback attempt, applying pressure later in the third quarter and outscoring the Fever by six points in the fourth, the early deficit was too large to overcome, and Indiana maintained control to secure the victory.
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