Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark had a rough Thursday night—but not in the way you might think. Despite battling a sudden stomach bug that led to an unfortunate halftime incident, Clark helped her team cruise past the Atlanta Dream 83-71 in the Commissioner's Cup opener.
Clark, who finished with 17 points, eight assists, and seven rebounds, revealed after the game that she lost her pregame snack—and then some—during the break. “I tried to eat some applesauce, and then it just came up, and then everything else in my stomach also came up,” she told reporters. “But then I felt fine. I felt light, so I was running around feeling good in the second half.”
The Fever’s win was fueled by a balanced attack. Kelsey Mitchell poured in 25 points on 11-of-15 shooting, while Aliyah Boston added 19 points and seven rebounds. The team’s chemistry has been a hot topic lately, especially after a recent team meeting aimed at addressing early-season struggles. Mitchell credited the open dialogue for Thursday’s performance: “Over the last couple of days … our energy shifted as a group. When you have hard conversations as a group, you pour into one another. You get days like this because you actually poured in. We did the work the right way.”
Clark’s health scare was just one of many storylines swirling around the Fever this season. The rookie phenom has faced contrasting headlines as she navigates the highs and lows of professional basketball. Thursday’s performance, however, showed her resilience—both physically and mentally.
The Fever improved to 5-4 with the win, snapping a two-game skid. The team’s ability to rally around each other has been a key factor, according to Mitchell. “Talent gets us there, but team camaraderie and just being honest about where we are as a group keeps us there,” she said.
Indiana will look to keep the momentum going Saturday against the New York Liberty. If Clark’s stomach cooperates, the Fever might just be finding their groove.
