There are two safe bets when the Chicago Sky play Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever: First, the Fever will win (three out of four ain’t bad), and second, Caitlin Clark will be victimized by a vicious flagrant foul.
We pick up the action in the fourth quarter with Clark and the Fever in complete control of the game. Clark eventually finished with a career-high 31 points. However, before sealing the win, frustrations began to mount for Chicago.
After several trips to the free throw line courtesy of fouls by Chicago’s Diamond DeShields, the Chicago defender apparently decided to go for broke by slamming into Clark with a blindside hit that sent her crashing to the floor.
This foul from Diamond DeShields on Caitlin Clark has been upgraded to a flagrant 1#WNBA pic.twitter.com/9XHIHnM0lW
— WNBA Universe (@wnbauniverse) August 31, 2024
The play was reviewed by officials and upgraded to a Flagrant 1. Clark hit her three free throws and was taken out of the game.
According to Matthew Byre of ClutchPoints, the hard foul came after an incident between Clark and Chicago’s Kamilla Cardoso.
“After Clark air-balled her 3-pointer, it looked like Kamilla Cardoso said something (she was the one to contest the shot).” Byrne wrote on X. “Clark then pointed up toward the scoreboard. Now, DeShields fouled Clark at midcourt. She tumbled to the floor.”
After Clark air-balled her 3-pointer, it looked like Kamilla Cardoso said something (she was the one to contest the shot). Clark then pointed up toward the scoreboard. Now, DeShields fouled Clark at midcourt.
— Matthew Byrne (@MatthewByrne1) August 31, 2024
She tumbled to the floor.
It's under review to be upgraded.
The scoreboard would not be Chicago’s friend in this game. The Fever went on to win 100-81. To add insult to injury, Clark got a standing ovation from the road crowd as she exited.
CAITLIN CLARK EXITS TO A STANDING OVATION ON THE ROAD FOLLOWING A BLOWOUT WIN pic.twitter.com/0yPPyJV6Tw
— SuperHawkeyeFan (@superhawkeyefan) August 31, 2024
The win is Indiana’s third in a row and evens their record at 16-16. The Sky, meanwhile, are 11-20 and, shockingly, are still in the playoff picture but clinging to the eighth and final spot.