Caitlin Clark Posts 27-15 Double-Double, Fouls Out in Fever's 99-89 Playoff Win

Q: Was this Caitlin Clark’s playoff breakthrough, or did Aliyah Boston and Indiana’s paint dominance tell the bigger story?

It was both, but Clark’s playoff breakthrough was the headline and Indiana’s interior dominance was the reason it held up. Clark delivered the defining game of her young postseason career: 27 points, 15 assists and seven rebounds, plus a historic first half with 14 points and 11 assists. That made her the first player in WNBA playoff history to post a points-assists double-double in a half, and she became the first to finish a postseason game with at least 25 points and 15 assists. Beyond the records, her tempo changed the game after Indiana fell behind by 11, and her playmaking created the conditions for everything else the Fever did well. But the bigger team story was that Indiana did not rely on Clark alone. Boston’s 22 points were central, and the Fever overwhelmed Las Vegas inside with 58 points in the paint and 11 offensive rebounds. That physical edge mattered because it gave Indiana second chances, easier scoring, and a way to punish the Aces even when the perimeter game tightened late. It also helped the Fever control key stretches, especially the third quarter, when they held A’ja Wilson scoreless. So if the question is what this game meant, it was Clark’s playoff arrival powered by a complete supporting structure. She was the engine, but Boston, Mitchell and Indiana’s paint pressure made the win sustainable. That balance is what should concern Las Vegas most going into Game 3.

3 articles · Updated · USA TODAY · Sep 30

27 points and 15 assists from Caitlin Clark carried Indiana to a 99-89 Game 2 win over Las Vegas, even after she fouled out with 2:45 left.
14 points and 11 assists by halftime made Clark the first player in WNBA postseason history to record a points-assists double-double in one half.
A second-quarter technical foul followed an offensive foul on Mai Yamamoto, but Indiana responded with a 28-14 run after trailing 29-20 and led 48-43 at the break.
The victory kept the Fever alive after a 102-85 Game 1 loss in which A'ja Wilson's 38 points and 16 rebounds put the defending champions ahead 1-0.
Indiana's response sends the best-of-three first-round series to a deciding Game 3 after coach Stephanie White had cited Las Vegas' playoff experience.