Caitlin Clark endured a miserable return to the court Sunday night as the fallout from Chennedy Carter’s brutal body check reverberated.
Clark was knocked to the ground by the Chicago Sky’s Carter late in the third quarter of the Indiana Fever’s WNBA game on Saturday. Television replays appeared to show Carter yelling “bitch” at Clark before pushing her to the ground.
Clark ended up having the last laugh as her team held on to win by one point. The 71-70 win was the team’s first home win of the season.
He returned to action on Sunday when the Fever took on the New York Liberty and Clark seemed in good spirits as he warmed up at the Barclays Center.
But the rookie was held to a season-low three points on 1-of-10 shooting and 1-of-7 from deep as the Liberty posted a dominant 104-68 victory in its World Cup opener. Commissioner.
Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever suffered a miserable return to the court Sunday night
Chicago Sky’s Chennedy Carter shoved the Iowa alum to the ground Saturday.
New York scored 100 points for the second time this season, both against the Fever. Back in 2024, it was the third time New York beat Indiana, with Liberty winning by a combined 83 points.
Betnijah Laney-Hamilton scored 20 points in 25 minutes, while Jonquel Jones added 18 points and 13 rebounds for her second straight double-double.
Sabrina Ionescu contributed 16, six assists and six rebounds as New York shot a season-best 57.6 percent and scored 44 points in the paint.
Before the game, Clark’s Fever teammates were criticized for not doing more to “protect” the WNBA’s star player.
Clark was held to a season-low three points on 1-of-10 shooting and 1-of-7 from deep.
Liberty recorded a dominant 104-68 victory in its Commissioner’s Cup opener.
Clark watches from the bench as New York heavily defeats the Fever on Sunday night.
The Warriors’ Draymond Green wrote in the comments section of an ESPNW Instagram post: “Indiana better invest in an enforcer… FAST!”
Former NBA forward Matt Barnes also weighed in on the Fever’s need to protect Clark.
“I mean, all season long, she’s been getting beat up,” he began in a instagram publication, as pointed out by New York Post. “Hard screens, elbows, takedowns,” Barnes said. ‘It is what it is; She’s not the first, she won’t be the last. My problem and my question is: Where the hell are her teammates? Where are you? Where is the rest of the Indiana fever?
Barnes, who played with players like Kobe Bryant, Blake Griffin and Chris Paul throughout his career, was an enforcer at times and believes Clark’s teammates need to defend her more.
Clark and Carter faced off on Saturday when Fever defeated Sky in a close battle.
‘I’ve seen a couple of girls smile when they knock it down, half-dumb to pick it up. You’re all supposed to protect the asset, protect the star. And even though this is a team, you always protect your star. I was someone who protected the stars.
“If you fuck with Kobe, (Chris Paul), Blake (Griffin), the list goes on, it’s going to be a problem.”
While Carter declined to answer questions about Clark after the Sky’s loss on Saturday, he had plenty to say on social media afterward.
Writing about Clark in Threads, Carter said, “…besides three-point shooting, what does (Clark) bring to the table?”
She also alluded to her beef with Clark on her own Instagram Story, writing, “I grew up with all the brothers.” All we did was fight and argue. I love hate more than love that they don’t understand. I’d rather you hate me (than) love me and I mean it with my dead aunt.