With 18 points from Kelsey Mitchell and 17 from NaLyssa Smith, the Indiana Fever edged the Chicago Sky 71-70 on Saturday, their second victory of the season and their first at home.
But all of the discussion following the game was on Chennedy Carter’s off-ball foul of Caitlin Clark.
Carter resisted answering questions about it following the game.
Reactions to this were strong both inside and outside of the WNBA. This is a selection.
Postgame, Clark said, “Yeah, I wasn’t expecting that.” That being said, react, relax, and let your play speak for itself. What is, is. This is a physical game; go make the free throw and then play offensively. Feel as though we carried that out.
In a game that ultimately came down to one point, Clark made the free throw on the foul.
β’ Long-time rival and Chicago rookie Angel Reese faced some backlash for standing up and applauding the play from the Sky sidelines.
β’ This was the most recent in a long line of excessively physical play Clark has had to deal with this season, according to many fans, particularly those who follow Clark/Fever.
β’ In her social media response to the play, Fever coach Christi Sides appeared to concur with those fans.
Many pundits want to use this as an illustration of the toughness and abuse Clark has endured since joining the team. Carter is a physical player who doesn’t mind mixing things up, though, as anyone who has watched the WNBA will attest to. This physical player is repeating herself, which includes choosing poorly when to vary things up. Although it was an uncalled-for foulβI would have called it a FlagrantβCarter was not acting out of character.
β’ Clark said of the physicality she had witnessed, “I feel like I’m just at the point where you accept it and don’t retaliate.” Allow them to strike you; accept it for what it is; keep your mind off of it and know it will happen. By now, I believe I understand that I will take a few hard shots during a game. I’m making an effort to ignore it and concentrate on the important things.
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