Caitlin Clark struggled against the defending WNBA champions as the Las Vegas Aces posted a 99-80 victory over the Indiana Fever on Saturday.
The rookie finished with just eight points, but had seven assists and five rebounds as Indiana fell to 1-6 this season.
In 29 minutes of play, Clark was two of five from three-point territory, hitting two of his eight field goals.
Clark and the Fever came into Saturday’s game fresh off their first win of the season against No. 2 pick Cameron Brink and the Sparks in Los Angeles.
Clark made up for a slow start by securing a 78-73 Indiana victory with two clutch 3-pointers. Clark recorded a double-double with 11 points, 11 rebounds and six assists.
Unfortunately, she didn’t capitalize on the momentum when the team set out on the journey to Sin City. At the end of the 40 minutes, the Aces’ championship experience proved overwhelming for a young Fever team.
Before the meeting, Aces coach Becky Hammon and center A’ja Wilson also criticized the media for creating narratives about the rest of the league holding animosity toward the rookie.
“I think this ‘everyone hates Caitlin Clark’ narrative, and even the black and white thing, enough is enough,” Hammon said during a meeting with the media on Friday. ‘She’s not there. So stop making noise.
“We love Caitlin Clark,” she emphasized, seemingly annoyed at the assumption otherwise. ‘I think she’s amazing. I watch whenever I can.’
“Your questions are only annoying because he’s young,” Wilson interjected. “She’s a rookie. You’re asking us these questions as if she’s been a grown woman in this league for years.
‘No, she’s doing her job (and) we’re doing ours. At the end of the day, that’s how we grow. So yeah, I’m exhausted from the conversation because I know she’s exhausted, I can only imagine.’
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