Megan Gustafson's 22-Point Bomb and the Fire Tie League History!

Holy smokes, did you see what went down in Portland last night? The Fire absolutely torched the Indiana Fever, dropping a season-high 100 points in a runaway 100-84 victory! This wasn't just any win, either. Megan Gustafson, in her first start of the year, went absolutely nuclear, scoring a season-high 22 points. And get this: the expansion Fire are now sitting at a ridiculous 6-4, tying the best start for an expansion team in league history! You gotta love watching a team just click like that.

Offensive Explosion Ignites Portland

Gustafson's performance was the stuff of legends. She was literally perfect from the field for most of the night, hitting 8-for-8, including a three-pointer, and adding 5-of-6 from the free-throw line. What a night for her! But it wasn't a one-woman show, not by a long shot. Emily Engstler was a beast, putting up a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Carla Leite didn't just get a double-double; she had a career-high 12 assists to go with her 18 points. Bridget Carleton chipped in with 14 points, and Sarah Ashley Barker was solid with 15 points, six rebounds, and four assists. This team was just on fire, shooting a scorching 51.4% from the field!

They took control right from the jump, going on a massive 19-2 run early in the first quarter to grab a 21-10 lead. Gustafson was right in the thick of it with back-to-back three-point plays, and Carleton buried a three-pointer and a layup during that crucial spurt. They never looked back, stretching the lead to 41-20 in the second quarter and holding a commanding 50-37 lead at halftime. The Fever couldn't cut that deficit to less than 13 points in the entire second half. Talk about dominant!

Shutting Down a Superstar and Making History

While the Fire's offense was cooking, their defense was just as impressive, especially against Caitlin Clark. The Fever's leading scorer was held to a season-low six points on just 1-of-7 shooting, playing only 22 minutes because of foul trouble. She picked up her fifth foul late in the third quarter as the Fire built a massive 25-point lead, and that effectively ended her night. This was her second straight game with a season low, too! The Fire limited the Fever to a mere 41.4% shooting. Aliyah Boston had 18 points and seven rebounds, and Kelsey Mitchell added 17 points, but it wasn't enough to contend with Portland's onslaught.

This win also had some sweet revenge baked in, as the Fire avenged a 90-73 loss at Indiana earlier in the month, a game where Clark actually missed due to a back injury. Plus, after a rough game on Friday where they committed a season-high 28 turnovers, the Fire tightened things up big time, only coughing it up 12 times against the Fever's 18. This kind of focus and improvement is exactly what you want to see. Now sitting at 6-4, the Fire have won four of their last five and have officially tied the 1998 Detroit Shock for the best 10-game start for an expansion team in league history. That's a huge deal!

This Fire squad is showing some serious early season form, winning four of their last five games and proving they can put up points and lock down defensively. It's going to be exciting to see if they can keep this historic pace going. Are we watching an expansion team ready to shake up the league? You bet your bottom dollar we are!

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