Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) and Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi (3) talk at half court during a free throw on June 30, 2024, at Footprint Center in Phoenix. / Owen Ziliak/The Republic / USA TODAY
Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever rallied back to pull off a huge, 88-82, victory on the road over Diana Taurasi and the Phoenix Mercury on Sunday. Clark just missed out on a triple-double, finishing with 15 points, 12 assists, and nine rebounds in the win.
This was the first time Clark had a chance to square off against Taurasi, a WNBA legend who will play in her sixth Olympics later this month. The Fever’s social media team had some fun at Taurasi’s expense after the game, subtly roasting her with a two-word tweet that referenced the time in April when she said of Clark’s then upcoming WNBA career that “reality is coming” for the former Iowa star.
Check this out:
reality check.#FeverWin
pic.twitter.com/av4wygk7db— Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever)
June 30, 2024
Well played, Indiana Fever. Both on the court, and on social media.
Andy Nesbitt is the Assistant Managing Editor of Audience Engagement at Sports Illustrated. He works closely with the Breaking & Trending News Team to shape SI’s daily coverage across all sports. He has been working in sports media for over 20 years, appearing on Fox Sports, For the Win, The Boston Globe, and NBC Sports. He’s a golf fanatic who desperately wants to see the Super Bowl played on a Saturday night.
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Diana Taurasi Praises Caitlin Clark Following Fever Win Over Mercury
Owen Ziliak/The Republic / USA TODAY
Caitlin Clark got a rousing ovation on her way off the court, on the road. Which was just the latest example of the hype and attention the Indiana Fever rookie has brought to the WNBA. A fact that was recognized by league legend Diana Taurasi after the Fever beat the Phoenix Mercury.
A standing ovation from the Phoenix crowd as Caitlin Clark walks off following her near triple-double performance 🙌#WelcometotheW pic.twitter.com/9CIjDEsQUs
— WNBA (@WNBA) June 30, 2024
Taurasi was notably short when expressing her thoughts on her first ever matchup with Clark heading into the contest, but afterwards had a lot more to say.
“”It’s amazing. What Caitlin’s been able to do in her short career so far has been nothing short of remarkable.”
Diana went on to express her admiration for the work Clark has put in and the way she has handled the expectations surrounding her. “She’s put the work in. Even throughout her short career, it’s been a lot of pressure, a lot of things thrown at her and she keeps showing up and she keeps getting better every single game. So her future is super bright.”
#Mercury Diana Taurasi on Caitlin Clark after loss to Indiana #wnba pic.twitter.com/ozDuLLkvll
— jeffmetcalfe (@jeffmetcalfe) June 30, 2024
Any questions about tension between the heralded rookie and legendary veteran were put to bed following the contest and the pair even shared a pleasant moment on the floor that was caught by cameras during the telecast.
Caitlin Clark and Diana Taurasi 🥲🐐 pic.twitter.com/zyFbIMhVX1
— Bri Lewerke (@brilewerke) June 30, 2024
Clark didn’t speak to the media after the game as she was dealing with a migraine, but the Fever star was able to help her team secure the victory. Though she fell one rebound short of making history as the first rookie to ever record a triple-double in the WNBA.
