Fever guard Caitlin Clark made her return to the WNBA during the league's season opener against the Wings, a 107-104 Dallas win at sold out Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Clark said postgame she was "rusty" after missing two-thirds of last season with separate leg injuries. Clark had 20 points on 7 of 18 shooting, but her signature deep-shooting was off, making only 2 of 9 from beyond the arc. She added five rebounds and seven assists, but also led the team with five turnovers in 31 minutes on the court
Teammate Kelsey Mitchell, who had a career year in Clark's absence in 2025, carrying the Fever to the WNBA Finals, continued her strong play, leading all players with 30 points, and center Aliya Boston was in All-Star form with 23 points.
The Wings rode three stars to victory. Paige Bueckers, Arike Ogunbowale and Odyssey Sims combined to shoot 24 of 36 from the field. Azzi Fudd, the No.1 pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft, played 18 minutes, scoring 3 points, while adding a rebound and a steal.
My take: I only caught the second half, but it looked like the officiating was improved. A league-wide focus on consistency, combined with an emphasis on flagrant fouls provided for good basketball. Let's see if it continues.
THE ASYLUM
Clark 'rusty' in WNBA return
Fever guard Caitlin Clark made her return to the WNBA during the league's season opener against the Wings, a 107-104 Dallas win at sold out Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Clark said postgame she was "rusty" after missing two-thirds of last season with separate leg injuries. Clark had 20 points on 7 of 18 shooting, but her signature deep-shooting was off, making only 2 of 9 from beyond the arc. She added five rebounds and seven assists, but also led the team with five turnovers in 31 minutes on the court
Teammate Kelsey Mitchell, who had a career year in Clark's absence in 2025, carrying the Fever to the WNBA Finals, continued her strong play, leading all players with 30 points, and center Aliya Boston was in All-Star form with 23 points.
The Wings rode three stars to victory. Paige Bueckers, Arike Ogunbowale and Odyssey Sims combined to shoot 24 of 36 from the field. Azzi Fudd, the No.1 pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft, played 18 minutes, scoring 3 points, while adding a rebound and a steal.
My take: I only caught the second half, but it looked like the officiating was improved. A league-wide focus on consistency, combined with an emphasis on flagrant fouls provided for good basketball. Let's see if it continues.
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