BOSTON (AP) — Caitlin Clark struggled in her first-ever go to to Boston — a efficiency that didn’t appear to spoil the temper of the followers who stuffed TD Backyard on Tuesday night time for a uncommon WNBA sport within the dwelling of the Celtics and Bruins.
As an alternative of Fortunate the Leprechaun and the Boston Celtics’ iconic parquet, the Backyard flooring featured the logos of the WNBA and Connecticut Suns — the league’s solely New England staff — as they hosted a sport in Boston for the second 12 months in a row.
Each have been sellouts of 19,156 — the largest crowds to see a basketball sport within the constructing’s historical past. And this 12 months, it was the visiting Indiana Fever and their breakout star that the majority of them had been there to see.
“It’s an incredible alternative for folks within the metropolis, or followers across the space, to return and help a staff right here,” Clark mentioned earlier than the sport. “You don’t take these alternatives as a right. It’s at all times enjoyable to go to a brand new area in a brand new place and revel in it.”
Followers carrying Clark’s No. 22 crowded towards the court docket earlier than the sport making an attempt to get her autograph, waving her jersey or selfmade indicators begging for a selfie. Amongst these in attendance had been Celtics Jaylen Brown and Georges Niang, Bruins Jeremy Swayman and Mason Lohrei, Purple Sox pitcher Lucas Giolito and Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey.
Clark scored 14 factors on 4 for 14 capturing, including seven assists and eight rebounds for the Fever, who pulled away within the fourth quarter to win 85-77. She dedicated considered one of her 5 turnovers on the Fever’s first possession and one other when she stepped on the sideline on the finish of the third quarter — guarded too intently to launch considered one of her emblem 3-pointers.
She went 1 for 7 from past the arc and didn’t join on a 3 till she gave the Fever an 80-71 lead with three minutes left — their greatest lead of the sport.
Natasha Howard scored 18 factors with 13 rebounds for Indiana. Tina Charles had 21 factors and 11 rebounds for the Solar, who beat the Los Angeles Sparks in Boston in entrance of a sold-out crowd final 12 months however have stumbled to a 3-19 file this season — the worst within the league.
Clark mentioned earlier than the sport that she took time to understand the chance to play in a constructing the place a lot basketball lore had been written. The Iowa native mentioned she grew up respecting the Celtics as a corporation, although she now counts herself an Indiana Pacers fan.
“The Celtics are one of many premier organizations of the NBA,” she mentioned. “And having received a championship two years in the past now, it’s form of cool to simply be on this constructing and encompass your self with the greatness that has performed on this area.”
The Celtics received all of it in 2024 capturing an NBA file variety of 3-pointers — one thing Clark, whose long-distance capturing made her a breakout star for the Hawkeyes and in her first two years within the WNBA, might recognize.
“I’m a Pacers fan. I simply wish to make that clear. However as I’ve been rising up, they’ve been a enjoyable staff to root for,” she mentioned. “They’re actually enjoyable to look at. They shoot plenty of 3s, which perhaps folks make an argument towards. However for myself, I believe that’s enjoyable. I take pleasure in that. I believe it’s an incredible model of basketball.”
Clark mentioned she had by no means been to Boston and would have preferred to soak up a Purple Sox sport at Fenway Park, however baseball is off for the All-Star break. She searched on TikTok for issues to do in Boston, however it should wait till subsequent time.
“It looks as if a tremendous metropolis,” she mentioned. “I might love to return again right here and discover somewhat bit extra within the historical past of it and all of the superb issues that you are able to do.”
That could possibly be some time, as a result of the town that’s dwelling to an unprecedented 18 NBA championships doesn’t have a staff within the WNBA; the Solar are the league’s sole consultant in New England, the birthplace of basketball.
Fever All-Star Aliyah Boston, a three-time Massachusetts Participant of the Yr whereas at Worcester Academy earlier than successful an NCAA championship at South Carolina, mentioned she believed her namesake city might help a WNBA staff.
“If you have a look at the ambiance for the Celtics, once you have a look at the ambiance for the 2 TD Backyard video games that now we’ve had, it’s been bought out. It’s been power,” she mentioned. “They clearly have been nice, and I believe that’s going to be the identical on a regular basis.”
Initially Revealed:
