Caitlin Clark and Co. kicked off their season with a statement win over the Chicago Sky, making it clear that they’re here to compete. Sure, the game came with its fair share of drama as Clark was assessed with a flagrant foul on her rival Angel Reese after a hard shove, but her performance still shone through the noise. The sensation looked poised, confident, and in control. But just as quickly as the hype train gained steam, reality came knocking. In their next outing against Brittney Griner and the Atlanta Dream, the Fever couldn’t quite keep the momentum going, losing 90-91. And head coach Stephanie White? Let’s just say she wasn’t thrilled. Especially with how her team handled the pressure.

After that dominant win over the Chicago Sky, one big takeaway was how much tougher and more physical the Indiana Fever looked compared to last season. In 2024, their defense was one of the worst in the league, posting a 107.5 defensive rating, the second worst in the league. So what changed? Well, a key part of the shift was the return of Briann January, a seven-time WNBA All-Defensive Team selection and a champion with the Fever in 2012. January rejoined the organization—this time as part of Stephanie White’s coaching staff.

The two had already worked together in Connecticut, and now they’re bringing that same defensive mindset to Indiana. Caitlin Clark even credited January for playing a big role in sharpening the team’s defensive edge. And it showed — at least against Chicago. The Fever posted a stifling 67.4 defensive rating in that game, a huge improvement. But consistency is the real test. When they faced the Atlanta Dream, the cracks began to show again. The Fever struggled to match the Dream’s physicality, and head coach Stephanie White didn’t sugarcoat things!

White said, “We didn’t take care of the ball, and we didn’t handle their physicality. That’s going to be the game plan against us all year—teams are going to come out and play us hard. They’re going to push, shove, hold… pretty much do whatever the refs let them get away with. And we have to learn how to use that physicality to our advantage. That’s how I’d play us, too. So we need to find ways to adjust and get better in those situations.” Her comments come on the back of Clark’s statement to the league after her physicality shone through in the matchup against the Sky. This is what the Fever missed against the Dream.

They struggled to keep up with the Dream’s physicality, sending them to the free-throw line a whopping 32 times. Turnovers were another problem! Indiana coughed it up too often, giving up 20 points from those mistakes. Add in 37 rebounds allowed, and the Fever just couldn’t control the game the way they wanted to.

That said, it wasn’t a blowout by any means. The Fever showed serious fight, clawing their way back from a 14-point deficit. In fact, they even took the lead late in the fourth quarter, their first lead since the opening minute. But with the game on the line, Rhyne Howard calmly sank two clutch free throws to seal it for Atlanta. And let’s not forget, Sophie Cunningham’s absence didn’t help matters either. Her energy and toughness were sorely missed in a matchup like this.

Still, it turned out to be a memorable night for Caitlin Clark–because, of course, she made history yet again. At this point, it’s almost expected from the phenom. No matter the outcome, she continues to leave her mark on the game in record-breaking fashion. So, what did Clark do this time? Let’s dive into it!

Caitlin Clark continues breaking records

Caitlin Clark’s start to the 2025 WNBA season has been nothing short of a rollercoaster. The spotlight is always on her, no matter what she does, and it doesn’t help that her clash with Angel Reese has quickly become the talk of the town. But she hasn’t let that get in the way of her performances! Despite the Fever falling just short in a nail-biting 91-90 loss to the Atlanta Dream on Tuesday, Clark was still out there doing what she does best — hoop!

Caitlin Clark led all scorers once again, dropping a smooth 27 points and dishing out 11 assists for yet another double-double. With that performance, Clark tied Courtney Vandersloot’s WNBA record for the most games with at least 25 points and 10 assists. Vandersloot has played 431 games in the W and managed this feat 10 times, and Clark has now tied her record in just 42 games!

It wasn’t the outcome Caitlin Clark and the Fever were hoping for against the Dream, but they’ll look to bounce back quickly. All eyes will be on their rematch, which is set to go down at State Farm Arena. Can Indiana flip the script this time? Stay tuned to see if they get their revenge.