With 4:26 left in the second quarter of Sunday’s Indiana Fever vs. Las Vegas Aces, Caitlin Clark took on ‘Point Gawd’ Chelsea Gray, which ended in another highly debated foul call. As Clark tried to defend Gray from making the basket, the two players made contact, and right as the Aces star took the shot, Clark went down, prompting a review from the refs.
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“Caitlin Clark down after contact with Chelsea Gray. Pops up and is not happy with the foul call. Now play is being reviewed for a hostile act after the whistle,” WNBA beat writer Tony East wrote while posting a clip of the head-to-head on X.
The Aces guard and Becky Hammon looked baffled as the officials went to the screen. Hammon even argued her case with the officials, but they looked into the foul regardless.
As the officials reviewed the sequence, Clark stayed down, holding her back, and fans feared the worst. However, as she got up, the officials assessed it as a common foul for Clark, and the Indiana Fever star immediately protested.
“It’s not a foul,” she said as Stephanie White prevented the situation from getting any worse and guided her back to the bench. Clark is already on 5 technicals, and the Indiana Fever does not want her suspended for one game.
Clark’s fitness also remains a concern for the Fever, after she missed two games because of the back injury she picked up on June 24 against the Mercury.
“Often times when you’re coming back from injury, fatigue is also a factor, and building endurance is also a factor. When you’re fatigued, you have a tendency to get hurt. I do think that it’s just being cautious,” Stephanie White told the media on Saturday and clarified that Clark will be restricted to about 25 minutes.
The 24-year-old ended up playing 24 minutes, contributing 12 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists while going 5-11 from the field and 1-5 from the three-point line. However, the focus shifted back to the officiating after Clark’s moment with Gray.
Aliyah Boston was called for a common foul after making contact with NaLyssa Smith in the paint. Lexie Hull passed the ball to Boston, and Smith went down holding her face while trying to defend. Just like Clark, the Fever forward immediately protested and went to the officials. They reviewed it for a potential flagrant act as well.
Ultimately, neither the Caitlin Clark incident nor the Aliyah Boston call could hinder Indiana as they dominated the Las Vegas Aces. With Aliyah Boston’s 19-point, 11-rebound double-double and Sophie Cunningham’s 20 points, the Fever won the game 109-75.