Caitlin Clark, Fever ride record first-half output in rout of Wings - ESPN

INDIANAPOLIS — In the highly anticipated first matchup between No. 1 draft picks Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers as pros, it was Clark and the Indiana Fever who came out on top Sunday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse — and in historic fashion.

The Fever rattled off a franchise-record 64 first-half points behind a 36-15 second quarter, taking control of the game and never looking back in a 102-83 victory.

Clark, the 2024 No. 1 pick, finished with 13 of Indiana's 30 assists on 40 makes — a season-best mark for her and a Fever record for a regulation game. It was also Clark's 17th career 10-assist game, but her first with no more than two turnovers.

After being sidelined with injuries on two separate occasions this season — and missing the first Fever-Wings matchup in June — Clark is still looking to rediscover her typical shooting form. She finished 4-for-12 from the field and 2-for-7 on 3-pointers to score 14 points. But the two-time All-Star was pleased with her facilitating and effort on the defensive end, where she helped set the tone for the Fever and came away with five steals.

No play got the Fever fans on their feet more than when Clark blocked JJ Quinerly's layup attempt early in the second quarter and then found a rim-running Sophie Cunningham with a beautiful three-quarter-court quarterback-esque dime.

«I still probably didn't shoot it as good as I would have liked, but I feel like it's coming. Just trying to continue to get my legs under me,» said Clark, who played her third game following a two-week absence. «I thought my playmaking was really good. There was no reason for me to really shoot that much.… [We were] just very balanced, and people executed.»

Bueckers, the 2025 No. 1 pick, led all scorers with 21 points