Fever never letting go of the reins, a Caitlin Clark-Angel Reese scuffle, and historic moments – Indiana Fever vs Chicago Sky had all the spice of an instant classic. Clark came into that opener with a purpose. Laced up in her custom “Rookie of the Year” Nike Kobe 5s, inspired by her own award photo, she looked ready to own the moment. But turns out, no one was even looking at her shoes once the game started. Because what she did on the court was way more eye-catching than any sneaker drop.

We already know the deal with CC- logo threes, slick dimes, and that offensive wizardry. That’s her bread and butter. But defense hasn’t always been her strongest stat line. So when she walked out with a triple-double, sure, people were impressed. But it was those four blocks that really made folks go, “Wait, what?” 

A reporter even pointed it out in the postgame presser, saying it was the most she’s had in any game – college or pro. Initially, in her college years, the most blocks CC could rack up was 1, averaging 0.5 per game. Though a few games 3 during her rookie year, this one marks a new milestone. That made the reporter ask, “Felt like you were channeling the spirit of Gabbie Marshall out there with the blocks. Is that a part of your game that you’ve been working on? Are we going to see more blocks?” 

The Iowa connection will undoubtedly follow Fever star all her life. Now, in case you forgot, Gabbie Marshall – Clark’s Iowa teammate and bestie- was known for her defensive contributions, especially out on the perimeter. Her block against Nebraska in the 2024 Big Ten tourney was pure clutch. It helped seal the win for the Hawkeyes and went viral. 

Clark, clearly amused, responded, “I don’t know I felt like I had active hands. I had some pokes when our post players were playing good defense. Then she revealed, “Coaching staff has just challenged me to try to try to be a better defender. Every single practice and just getting better in that area.” Looks like she is meeting the challenge without flinching. She’s not pretending to be perfect, though. “I still feel like there’s a lot of room for me to improve,” she admitted. “I don’t think any of those blocks were too obvious… but you know, you can get your hand on there and help your teammate out. It makes a world of a difference.”

Clark’s rookie season showed some glaring defensive weaknesses. Her on-ball defense was a C-. Not great, considering how important one-on-one defense is in the WNBA. The numbers back it up too…she ranked 132nd out of 138 players in defensive impact, which is basically near the bottom. Also, she had a tough time navigating through screens. Off-ball, she sometimes overcommitted trying to help out teammates. While hustle is great, going too far out of position opened up easy looks for the other team. 

As a true point guard, the Hawkeyes alumna takes pride in creating plays for her teammates. However, averaging 0.7 blocks, 1.3 steals, and 5.6 turnovers last year, the 23-year-old certainly has room for improvement. Not just Clark, defense, though, has been Fever’s weakness. Last year, when they kicked off their road game against the Atlanta Dream, their offense looked sharp at first.

But once the second quarter rolled around, things slowed down – and what really stood out was just how shaky their defense was. One clip that blew up online showed No. 22 locked onto Tina Charles just outside the paint. The Hall of Famer spun around, scanning for an open teammate. Clark thought Charles was passing to Jordin Canada, who was right behind her. No…Charles just pulled up and nailed an easy jumper.

It was a long, frustrating 40 minutes for Fever fans. Their team had leads, then got dangerously close to falling behind, even trailing by just two points late in the fourth. Clark’s defense, which included only one block all game, was hard to miss. However, now, with their new coach Stephanie White, who is coming after leading two teams that ranked 1 and 2 in defense, has made it clear… defense is crucial.

Clark is definitely aiming to level up her game on the defensive end. Let’s see what else she brings to the table as the season rolls on. For now, it looks like the biggest highlight of the game, the Caitlin-Reese heated moments has another dimension.

Another angel shows why Caitlin Clark fouled Reese

Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese gave us drama and a little chaos in the Fever’s blowout win over the Sky and it all started bubbling in the third quarter. Clark had already sent a message earlier, blocking Reese and snatching a rebound from right under her. The Fever were cruising with a 14-point lead. In a moment, Reese was fighting hard under the rim with Natasha Howard, managing to grab the rebound and trying to reset for a shot.

Then came the moment everyone’s talking about. Clark stepped in, reached across, and Reese went down. While Clark casually walked away, Reese clearly wasn’t having it. She had words, and she made sure they were heard. That’s when Aliyah Boston jumped in, physically stepping between them and putting a hand on Reese to stop her from going after Clark. Things were getting heated fast.

The refs huddled up, and here’s what they decided: a flagrant one foul on Clark, and technicals on both Reese and Boston.But what changes things is what happened just before all that.

A replay angle shows Reese may have shoved Howard before the Clark foul. Clark actually pointed it out, arms raised, waiting for a whistle that never came. Seconds later, she fouled Reese….maybe not just to stop the play, but to stand up for her teammate. So Clark caught the flagrant, but the missed call is what sounds off to fans. But obviously, CC didn’t just let the moment define her. She finished with a triple-double – 20 points, 10 boards, 10 dimes – as the Fever steamrolled to a 93-58 dub.

Safe to say, the season is off to a very spicy start.