Sun Knock Fever Out Of WNBA Playoffs, Ending Caitlin Clark’s Historic Rookie Season

Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever were eliminated from the playoffs Wednesday night, as the Connecticut Sun rallied to win 87-81 and complete a two-game sweep. The Sun struggled to contain Clark, who scored 25 points in the contest, but the veteran-led Connecticut team outclassed the younger Indiana roster.

In many ways, the Sun served as the bar for the Fever throughout the season, as matchups between the two teams effectively marked Indiana’s improvement. The Fever lost its first game of the 2024 season to the Sun in a 92-71 blowout and fell to the veterans again less than a week later. Connecticut dominated Clark and company again in June, while the team was still finding it way.

In late August, Indiana was in the midst of a torrid, surprising playoff push when the team finally defeated the Sun 84-80. It was a clear indication that Clark had arrived in the WNBA. She and Aliyah Boston, with less than three years of professional experience between them, took over down the stretch and got the Fever into the playoffs despite a 1-8 start.

“I’m a tough grader. I feel like I had a solid year,” Clark said Wednesday. “For me, the fun part is like I feel like I’m just scratching the surface, and I’m the one that’s nitpicking every single thing I do. I know I want to help this franchise. … I know there’s a lot of room for me to continue to improve, so that’s what excites me the most. I feel like I continue to get a lot better.”

Despite beating Connecticut late in the regular season, the Fever still figured as heavy underdogs in the first round. In Game 1, 37-year-old Sun forward DeWanna Bonner took the assignment to defend Clark for the first time, holding the rookie to just 11 points. Connecticut won in a 93-69 drubbing.

In Game 2 Wednesday, Clark and Boston found more opportunities and kept pace with the Sun’s more experienced starters. Clark added nine assists and six rebounds to her 25-point night, while Boston dominated in the paint, earning 19 rebounds in a commanding double-double. Guard Kelsey Mitchell, 28, also chipped in with 17 points, but it wasn’t enough. Every single player on the Sun roster scored at least eight points in an incredibly well-rounded showing.

Clark’s first playoff experience in the WNBA garnered eye-dropping ticket sales and record-breaking ratings, but her defeat on this massive stage was not a failure. The Sun players were far more experienced and have been building toward a championship for several years. Clark joined Boston on the Fever less than six months ago, at which point the team was coming off a 13-27 season.

After a few middling weeks at the start of her WNBA career, Clark has lived up to her billing in every sense imaginable. It would take less effort to list the rookie records she didn’t attain in 2024. She is a blindingly bright catalyst on a once-stagnant team. She was a mortal lock to win Rookie of the Year honors. Most important to remember — she’s just getting started.