Fever fall to Mystics in first game without Caitlin Clark - ESPN

BALTIMORE — The Indiana Fever knew it would be an adjustment playing their first game without Caitlin Clark since drafting the star point guard first overall in 2024.

But Game 1 sans Clark, who is out for at least two weeks because of a quad strain, was rockier than they'd hoped.

Indiana fell to 2-3 on the season with an 83-77 loss Wednesday to the Washington Mystics (3-3), who hosted the first WNBA game in Baltimore at CFG Bank Arena. The Mystics have moved four games to larger venues this season while D.C.'s Capital One Arena undergoes renovations, and will host the Fever again in «Charm City» in early September.

«I think this was a kind of gut punch for us,» Fever guard Sophie Cunningham said. «We're going to come back tomorrow at practice with more focus, more energy. We know where we want to be at the end the season, but we're not just going to get there.»

«We weren't sharp enough to be a contender for anything tonight,» fellow guard Kelsey Mitchell added. «I think getting punched in the mouth early is humbling, because it shows where we need to be.»

The Fever — whose free agency moves catapulted them into early championship contention conversations — shot a paltry 39.7% from the floor and 23.8% from 3, both season-low marks, while finishing with more turnovers (16) than assists (15, another season low). Without Clark to push the pace, they managed zero fast-break points, typically a hallmark of their play.

Indiana averages 107.5 points per 100 possessions with Clark on the floor this season versus 87.7 points per 100 possessions with her off it.

Veteran point guard Sydney Colson started in place of Clark, finishing with 4 points, 3 assists and 3 turnovers in 31 minutes. DeWanna Bonner had her highest scoring output