Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell Combined for 47 Points and the Fever Finally Got Off the Schneid

The Indiana Fever needed this one bad. After both teams limped into Wednesday night with season-opening losses in their back pockets, the Fever showed up at Crypto.com Arena and took down the Los Angeles Sparks 87-78, grabbing their first W of the season. Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell were absolutely the show, combining for 47 points and refusing to let the Sparks mount anything that looked dangerous.

Clark and Mitchell Take Over in Crucial Stretches

Clark finished with 24 points and nine assists, shooting 9-for-17 from the field. The real fireworks came in the fourth quarter when she stepped up and scored nine of those 24 points to keep LA at arm's length down the stretch. Mitchell was equally efficient, dropping 23 points on the same 9-for-17 shooting line. But here's the thing: Mitchell absolutely went off in the second quarter, nailing all three of her 3-point attempts plus a step-back jumper, finishing the quarter with 11 points. That stretch was the difference maker.

The Fever's second quarter was brutal for the Sparks. Indiana ran off a 19-8 run to close the half, with Sophie Cunningham chipping in five points during that decisive push. By halftime, the Fever were up 48-34 and never really looked back. They stretched it to 60-39 midway through the third quarter on a Myisha Hines-Allen layup. When LA finally started scrapping their way back late, Clark and company had enough cushion to survive.

Sparks Fight Back Too Little, Too Late

The Sparks weren't without their own firepower. Kelsey Plum went off for a game-high 25 points on impressive 9-for-16 shooting. Dearica Hamby chipped in 16 points and eight rebounds on efficient 6-for-8 shooting. Cameron Brink added 11 and five boards off the bench, while both Rae Burrell and Nneka Ogwumike scored 10.

LA pulled within 83-76 on a late 11-3 run, with a Plum short jumper bringing them within seven with 1:23 left. It felt like maybe, just maybe, the Sparks could steal this. They couldn't. Cunningham finished with 12 points and seven rebounds for Indiana, providing crucial secondary scoring. All-Star Aliyah Boston struggled, finishing with just four points and seven rebounds before fouling out in the fourth.

The Sparks also lost starting guard Ariel Atkins to a head injury in the third quarter. She managed two points in 16 minutes before departing.

Both teams needed this W after rough weekends. The Fever fell by three to Dallas to start the season while the Sparks got absolutely demolished at home by defending champion Las Vegas, dropping a 27-point decision. Now? Indiana has their first win in the bank and some real momentum heading forward.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.