How to watch Fever at Dream: Caitlin Clark and Indiana try to avenge Tuesday's loss
The WNBA's opening week slate gives us the second part of a home-and-home swap with Indiana and Atlanta, henceforth known as the 'Fever-Dream' series. The visitors claimed Tuesday's matchup in Indianapolis off the strength of big first- and third-quarter runs. On Thursday night, Caitlin Clark and crew try to get one back in the ATL.
Advertisement
Admittedly not an actual fever dream, this pairing should still give us vivid visions of bucket-getting and shot-swatting.
Clark notched a clean 20/10/10 line in the Fever's first win against Chicago on Saturday, then put up 27 points and 11 assists in Tuesday's 91-90 loss. The MVP aspirant is off to a strong start, as are teammates Kelsey Mitchell and Aliyah Boston, who each had 24 points on Tuesday night. It was Indy's newly added veterans who struggled against the Dream. DeWanna Bonner finished with a minus-19 in a one-point game. Natasha Howard shot just 3-of-9 with four fouls and four turnovers.
The Fever had two leads all game: 2-0 in the opening minute and 90-89 in the waning seconds. The final stretch was nervy and tense, as Atlanta's Rhyne Howard drew a foul from Mitchell and sank two free throws, then Indiana's Natasha Howard missed a 2-foot hook shot for the win. The Dream had more second-chance points and won the turnover margin, compensating for their inferior 3-point shooting.
Howard had the decisive points at the end, and Allisha Gray was diming, but the paint pairing of Brittney Griner and Brionna Jones really made the difference in Tuesday's win. Griner had 21 points on efficient 8-for-13 from the floor, while Jones nabbed six offensive rebounds en route to a 19/13/3 line. The interior duo also went a combined 12-for-16 on foul shots.
Clark should have ample motivation in her first road game of the year. Just for audience consideration, here are her single-game career highs in the W so far:
Best player to wear both jerseys: Candice Dupree. The seven-time All-Star played four seasons with the Fever and ended her career with the Dream in 2021.
Streaming, betting and ticketing links in this article are provided by partners of The Athletic. Restrictions may apply. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.
(Photo of Caitlin Clark and Rhyne Howard: Ron Hoskins / NBAE via Getty Images)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Associated Press
39 minutes ago
- Associated Press
Bills RB James Cook present for team's mandatory practice amid contract concerns, AP source says
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Buffalo Bills running back James Cook put aside his contract concerns — and avoided the potential of being fined — by attending the start of the team's three-day mandatory series of practices on Tuesday, a person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because coach Sean McDermott isn't scheduled to address the media until later in the day. The Athletic first reported Cook was present at the team's facility. Cook's attendance comes after he went public with his desire to negotiate a contract extension while entering the fourth and final year of his rookie deal. He was the NFL's co-leader in rushing touchdowns with 16 last year, and skipped Buffalo's six previous spring practices and month-long workout sessions, all of which were voluntary. Cook was selected by Buffalo in the second round of the 2022 draft out of Georgia. His older brother is Dalvin Cook, best known for his six seasons in Minnesota and who spent last year appearing in two games with Dallas. In February, Cook informally began his public negotiation by posting the message '15 mill year' on his Instagram account. A month later, during an appearance on a podcast with former NFLers Shannon Sharpe and Chad Johnson, Cook said, 'Pay me the big bucks,' and adding, 'I want to get what I asked for.' He also made the case for his fellow NFL running backs being underpaid in saying: 'I feel like we deserve to get paid,' and asking, 'How (are) we not valuable?' In April, Cook listed his Buffalo-area home as being for sale. General manager Brandon Beane has on several occasions noted how much he respects and values Cook, while also acknowledging the two sides aren't on the same page in contract talks. In late March, Beane specifically referenced Cook in announcing he was cutting off contract discussions to focus on the draft. 'Just because we don't have James signed today doesn't mean next year we still can't get him done before he gets to free agency,' Beane said. 'We want him to have success. We're rooting for him ... But we are where we are, and there's no hard feelings from us.' Cook proved to be the odd-man out in Beane's offseason binge of signing core players to multiyear contract extensions. The group was made up of quarterback Josh Allen, receiver Khalil Shakir, edge rusher Greg Rousseau, linebacker Terrel Bernard and cornerback Christian Benford. Cook's 16 touchdowns rushing matched a Bills single-season record set by O.J. Simpson, and he also scored two more receiving. He was part of a Bills offense that finished second in the NFL in averaging more than 30 points per outing. After scoring just two touchdowns rushing in each of his first two seasons, Cook's jump in production coincided with Joe Brady's first full season as Buffalo's offensive coordinator, and the team's initiative to have Allen rush less to reduce exposing him to injury. ___ AP NFL:
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Dwyane Wade shares why Rick Carlisle should get more recognition for the Pacers' success: "I give a lot of credit to the leader over there"
Dwyane Wade shares why Rick Carlisle should get more recognition for the Pacers' success: "I give a lot of credit to the leader over there" originally appeared on Basketball Network. Indiana Pacers All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton has gotten most of the flowers for the team's success this season. And why not? Haliburton's four postseason game-winners - one in each series, have been instrumental in putting the Pacers where they are right now — up 1-0 in the 2025 NBA Finals. Advertisement However, as with any team, aside from having that leader on the basketball court, the leader on the sidelines is as essential. For the Pacers, that guy is the unassuming Rick Carlisle. The 65-year-old is a former NBA player with 13 years of NBA head coaching experience. He may not have the resume of Gregg Popovich or Phil Jackson or the popularity of Erik Spoelstra or Steve Kerr, but he's under the radar one of the best bench tacticians out there today. Hall of Famer Dwyane Wade agrees and thinks that the confidence and swagger the Pacers are playing with emanates from him. "When you look at Rick Carlisle, that's what you see - a confident coach who seems in control most of the time," saidWade on his podcast. "Very rarely, he'll go off, but for the most part, he always seems in control most of it. And you're watching his team take on that identity, so I just feel like whatever that coaching staff has done for this team over the last few years, not just this year, the confidence that they pumped into them, what they've built amongst them as a group, you can see that. It's actually showing when these guys take the court." Pacers are playing with the Devil's magic The 2024-25 Pacers have earned the reputation as the "Devil's team" because experts and analysts have run out of words to describe the unbelievable comebacks they've produced this season. So, they've simply called it the "Devil's magic." But it's actually the product of the belief that Carlisle has instilled in his team over the last couple of years. Advertisement Indiana thrives on a fast-paced, pass-heavy offense built on constant movement. In Carlisle's system, there's no fixed first or last option — anyone can take the shot if they've got the best look. That approach makes every Pacer a legitimate scoring threat on any given night. The Championship coach got the entire roster to buy in, and now everyone's flourishing and, more importantly, Indiana's winning. "I just want to give credit to the leader over there," added the Hall of Fame shooting guard. "Carlisle is somebody who, when you're trying to do something for the first time, obviously Siakam has won a championship but most of these guys are trying to do something for the first time, you've got to go with somebody who's been there. He's been everywhere. He's seen it all. Rick Carlisle's been around." Related: "We're going to be the most improved, surprising, and best team" - Jalen Rose had high ambitions about lifting the Bulls from the bottom of the NBA Carlisle has an impressive history Saying Carlisle's "been around" barely scratches the surface. He suited up for the Boston Celtics and was part of their legendary 1986 championship squad loaded with five Hall of Famers. Years later, he served as an assistant under Larry Bird during Bird's coaching stint with the Pacers. Advertisement He posted back-to-back 50-win seasons in his first two years as head coach in Detroit. He built the Pistons' 2004 title team, and you could argue he would've led them to the 2004 title if he had not bumped heads with the ownership and had gotten fired. Finally, Carlisle won his first NBA championship with the Dallas Mavericks in 2011 at the expense of the Big 3 Miami Heat. And yes, this is his second tour of duty with the Pacers. He coached them from 2003-04 to 2006-07, winning 61 games in his first year as head coach. Rick never made it past the ECF during his first tenure as Pacers head coach. He's done that in his third year back. And after they stole Game 1, the Pacers are three wins away from the first championship in franchise history. All said, there's no "devil's magic" here, just a very good coach with a hungry team. Related: Paul Pierce says Shai Gilgelous-Alexander would be the best player in Thunder history if he wins the title: "This is one of the all-time great historical runs" This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 8, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
"I think Indiana wins Game 3"- Isiah Thomas issues bold prediction as the 2025 NBA Finals shift to "The Hoosier State"
"I think Indiana wins Game 3"- Isiah Thomas issues bold prediction as the 2025 NBA Finals shift to "The Hoosier State" originally appeared on Basketball Network. The Indiana Pacers have certainly been the biggest surprise of the 2025 Playoffs. Not remotely considered championship contenders, Coach Rick Carlisle and his crew made history, with the franchise clinching its first Finals appearance since 2000. Advertisement Voted as the most overrated player, Tyrese Haliburton responded in the best way possible. Letting his game do all the talking, the 25-year-old sent the likes of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Donovan Mitchell and Jalen Brunson back home empty-handed. What has stood out the most about Hali lately is his clutch performance. After stunning the Knicks fans at Madison Square Garden, the Iowa State product stole Game 1 of the 2025 NBA Finals, sinking a game-winning jumper that gave his team the first and only lead of the game. Never one to shy away from the moment, the OKC Thunder answered in dominant fashion. Led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, they cruised past the Pacers to tie the series at 1-1. As the battle heads to Indiana's Gainbridge Fieldhouse, former Pistons great turned analyst Isiah Thomas backed Haliburton and company to take control, especially in Game 3. "Game 3 is the most important game in the series. Game 3 is where you get momentum at, and I see Indiana winning Game 3 at home and forcing to perform in a Game 4, or OKC is got to win a Game 5 to stretch it to Game 6. I think Indiana goes home; they know how important Game 3 is. I think Indiana wins Game 3," predicted "Zeke," who is widely regarded as a Top 5 point guard of all time. Will home-court advantage enable the Pacers to regain the lead? As the Finals shift to Indiana for Games 3 and 4, one can expect a loud and energetic crowd at their home gym in what is also their first Finals appearance in over 25 years. The Pacers will look to maximize the situation, especially with the Thunder losing the home-court advantage after the Game 1 stunner. Advertisement At home, the Pacers stand at 29-12 during the 2024-25 regular season and 6-2 in the playoffs. Thus, the odds are in its favor for the next two games of the Finals. Still, the Thunder hold a respectable 4-3 record on the road this postseason, making it entirely likely for them to get their Game 1 payback — whether in Game 3, Game 4, or perhaps both. What adds even more intrigue is the elite-level defense that Mark Daigneault and his squad continue to hang their hats on. Related: "Dad, you at 17, me at 17, who was better? I said, 'Listen, son...'" - Dominique Wilkins on the moment he realized his son didn't know how great of a player he was Where did the Pacers go wrong in Game 2? The plan to double-team Hali seems to have produced favorable results in Game 2, given the two-time All-Star was limited to 17 points with five turnovers. Reigning ECF MVP Pascal Siakam had a rough night, going 3-for-11 from the field and finishing with 15 points. Outrebounded both offensively and defensively, the Pacers didn't have a great shooting night from the field. Advertisement OKC came out unstoppable, leaving no stone unturned this time around. The Big 3 of Shai, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren had an impressive outing. Alex Caruso and Aaron Wiggins stepped up off the bench, combining to shoot an impressive 9-of-16 from beyond the arc. And while the Thunder may be the deeper, more complete team on paper, they still have gaps to tighten if they plan on finishing this run with a title. That's exactly why Isiah picks Indiana to steal Game 3 and take control of the series. Related: Dwyane Wade shares why Rick Carlisle should get more recognition for the Pacers' success: "I give a lot of credit to the leader over there" This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 9, 2025, where it first appeared.
