On its way to a historic playoff spot, the Indiana Fever is maintaining momentum, returning from the Olympics break. Even in their last game against the Atlanta Dream, the team snatched an overtime victory with a staggering 104-100 score. But it wasn’t easy. In fact, the Dream were ahead by 16 points before the team’s “double-double duo” succeded in adding an 8th win post-Olympic break.
It all came together when 18.1 seconds were left in the fourth quarter. As Clark led an assist to Boston, she attempted a layup to tie the game at 90. Later, they added six points each to gain an edge over the Dream in overtime, catching everyone’s interest during Sunday’s game. “This is almost impossible to guard… when you have a shooter like Caitlin but a finisher like Aliyah,” expressed ROTY winner Chiney Ogwumike after witnessing the chemistry between the two.
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“Aliyah Boston has taken a step forward in her game and she has built a special chemistry with their star rookie.”@chiney breaks down the reigning ROTY’s impact on the Fever’s hot streak going into the postseason 🔥 pic.twitter.com/LeNFk6RM7G
— espnW (@espnW) September 9, 2024
The 22-year-old Iowa native contributed an impressive 26 points along with 12 assists. Aliyah Boston, on the other hand, dropped 30 points while grabbing 13 rebounds. She went 11 of 16 shooting and even hit the game-tying basket in the final seconds to force overtime.
But it’s not only the team’s record that has captured Ogwumike’s attention. In fact, both players feature dazzling individual records too—especially the team’s #7 forward, who has significantly improved her skills over the past two years. While she was averaging 10.9 PPG in her first ten games, she now stands at 14.3. Even her FG% has improved from 43% to 56%. But are these stats enough for the Fever to secure a WNBA championship win?
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A few challenges on the way for Caitlin Clark & Co
What’s your perspective on:
Aaliyah Boston and Caitlin Clark: The best duo in WNBA history or just a flash in the pan?
Have an interesting take?
This season, the Indiana Fever has improved dramatically. Be it in viewership or making the playoffs for the first time since 2016, Caitlin Clark and company have nailed it all. As of now, they stand in the sixth position in the WNBA power rankings for Week 11, with their 19-17 record.
But standing in their way are the two-time consecutive champions, A’ja Wilson and company, and the No. 1 team, the New York Liberty. Against Breanna Stewart-led Liberty, the Fever stands at 1-4. With the Aces, on the other hand, they stand at 1-2.
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Regardless, the Fever roster is looking quite dominant at the moment. Boston’s improvement already in place, Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell are topping the scoring charts post Olympic-break. The two of them make the top three behind A’ja Wilson in the category. Overall, the rookie boasts an impressive 19.2 points and 8.5 assists per game, supported by Mitchell’s 19.1 points average.
The next task in hand for Fever is to overpower the reigning champions, whom they face in two consecutive games. A ticked box there could mean well for the Fever, who are expected to take on Connecticut Sun, as of now, in the playoff with a 1-3 record this season.
Debate
Aaliyah Boston and Caitlin Clark: The best duo in WNBA history or just a flash in the pan?