The Phoenix Mercury’s slumber doesn’t seem to have found any light at the end of the tunnel for now. The last season’s finalists have now lost 13 games this season, including their latest loss to the Indiana Fever. But for team veteran Alyssa Thomas, this Fever game became a historic moment as she surpassed Caitlin Clark for a WNBA record.

Even in a defeat, Thomas had a decent game for her team on Monday. She logged 34 minutes in the game, finishing the night with 19 points and 9 assists. Her performance helped her reach the 500 assists milestone for the Phoenix Mercury franchise.

As per beat reporter Shane Young, Thomas reached her tally in just 56 games, surpassing the previous record held by Clark of being the quickest to 500 assists for a single franchise in just 59 games.

The milestone is yet another silver lining in Thomas’ portfolio as an elite playmaker. Across her entire WNBA career, she has 1800+assists to her name and is seventh in the all-time list, as per WNBA.com. She doubles down on her experience perfectly to find her teammates at crucial positions.

And her record with the Phoenix Mercury suggests that her playmaking skills aren’t diminishing despite her approaching the latter stages of her professional career. Thomas, 34, is even competing against upcoming young talents in the league like Caitlin Clark in this regard.

To be honest, Clark and Thomas are two of the most exciting playmakers in the league right now. They are also in a tough head-to-head contest to lead the league in terms of assists. For context, Thomas currently leads the list with 8.4 assists per game, while CC is second with 8.2 per game.

Both players also dished out an equal nine assists in the Indiana Fever-Phoenix Mercury game on Monday. But there’s a striking difference between Clark’s assist record, which she just set last month during a game against the Golden State Valkyries, and the one Thomas set last night.

Here’s the thing: CC recorded those numbers during the initial years of her pro career. It means that she had to simultaneously adapt to the league’s pace and tempo while producing such numbers. Meanwhile, Thomas did it in a span when she was a league veteran.

Of course, it’s nothing, and it doesn’t take away from Alyssa Thomas’ stellar record. But it’s just to understand that Caitlin Clark had a few more odds against her while setting her record with the Indiana Fever. Nevertheless, it was Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever as well who got the better hand over Alyssa Thomas and the Phoenix Mercury on Monday.

Clark was the major offensive anchor behind the team’s win. She recorded 24 points while going 8 of 17 from the field, along with her 9 assists, as the team won 77-86. And for all the money, it was CC’s playmaking that fueled the team’s win against Thomas and his team.

Stephanie White Lauds Caitlin Clark’s Playmaking From the Context of the Game

Besides Caitlin Clark, Monique Billings and Kelsey Mitchell formed the team’s offensive skeleton against Phoenix. But even then, it was mostly Clark who pulled the strings on the court. And the numbers mirror that as well.

For context, Billings was the third-highest scorer in the game for Indiana. She recorded 14 points with 4-4 from the field. But the interesting fact is that all four of Billings’ field goals were assisted by Clark, signifying the production the Fever point guard has had in the game.

Head coach Stephanie White didn’t hesitate to pinpoint it in her post-game presser, while also noting Clark’s perfect positioning and screen movements.

“Caitlin did a great job of finding her (Billings) on her dives,” White said via the Indiana Fever YouTube channel. “She got out of screens, and her movement and activity level were terrific tonight, and that’s what we need from her.”

With her stellar performance against Phoenix, Caitlin Clark is now in the top three in both the points and assists categories in the league. She is third in points per game (21.3) and second in terms of assists.

The Indiana Fever point guard is quietly navigating an MVP-worthy season currently. Her next challenge will be the Phoenix Mercury, yet again on June 24 at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse.