Clark, Mitchell lift Fever over Mercury in first game back from Olympics break

INDIANAPOLIS -- Indiana Pacers star and Olympic gold medalist Tyrese Haliburton was back in town Friday to watch the Indiana Fever play the Phoenix Mercury. He posted on X during the first half.

“Hope y’all seeing what 22 (is) doin' at Gainbridge,” Haliburton said.

He was referring to another star player in Indiana -- Fever point guard Caitlin Clark. Clark was running circles around defenders in the first half. She had 16 points, three rebounds and four assists with 7:10 to play in the second quarter.

Phoenix, playing its second game of a back-to-back, looked gassed. At one point, Indiana held a 28-point advantage in the opening half.

The Mercury would not go away quietly, however, outsourcing the Fever 28-19 in the third quarter. Phoenix actually led by one with 2:42 left in the third. Indiana regrouped and used a big shot from forward Katie Lou Samuelson to regain momentum. Samuelson nailed a buzzer-beating three at the top of the key to end the frame, which gave the home team a little breathing room (73-65 lead) entering the final quarter.

The Fever, behind Clark and shooting guard Kelsey Mitchell, held off Phoenix in the fourth to secure the 98-89 win at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The victory completed the series sweep over the Mercury (3-0).

“We came out with a lot of energy,” Clark said. “They are a really good team. You know they are not going to go away. We have to limit their runs. I think that is where we take our next step. But I am proud of us. We just kept battling and fighting.”

Clark, who finished with 29 points, 10 rebounds and five assists, collected her 10th double-double of the season.

In her last two games, Clark has 53 points and 29 assists. Those totals make her the first player in WNBA history with 50-plus points and 25-plus assists over any two-game span, per StatMamba.

The shifty Mitchell finished with a season-high 28 points. She added five rebounds and three assists.

Mitchell and Clark combined to make 10 threes, showing how lethal Indiana’s starting backcourt can be when playing at its full potential.

“Basketball is a language,” Mitchell said. “You’ve got to get on the same page with your counterparts. I think me and (Clark) like to play a certain way that’s fast and up-tempo. So I’m going to always align based on how she’s playing and how the game is going. I enjoy it (playing with her).”

“I always have my eyes up trying to find her,” Clark added.

The Fever’s frontcourt was steady Friday in front of another sellout crowd. Aliyah Boston totaled 14 points and nine rebounds while NaLyssa Smith tallied 13 points and nine rebounds.

Indiana (12-15, seventh) is now just two games back from Phoenix (14-13, sixth) in the league standings.

Mercury small forward Kahleah Copper, who is the WNBA’s second-leading scorer (23.4 ppg), had a game-high 32 points and was 18-for-19 from the foul line in the loss. Her teammates, guards Natasha Cloud and Diana Taurasi, scored 19 and 16 points, respectively.

Phoenix, which had four players compete in the Olympics, will play its third game in four days Sunday against the Chicago Sky.