Caitlin Clark's triple-double draws immense praise from Fever coach Christie Sides

Christie Sides did not take out Caitlin Clark in the Indiana Fever’s close 93-86 win over the LA Sparks on Wednesday. The coach knew her team needed everything it could from the sensational rookie to avoid defeat, and Clark did not disappoint, leading her team to a thrilling victory.

Clark’s 10-point third quarter allowed the Fever to turn a 48-47 halftime deficit into a 69-65 advantage leading to the fourth quarter. The former Iowa Hawkeyes star wasn’t as explosive scoring the ball in the final 10 minutes, but her playmaking and versatility shone as she recorded the second triple-double of her young WNBA career.

Clark ended her night with 24 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists while shooting 47% from the field and 40% from 3-point land. She is the only rookie in WNBA history to get that stat line, and she's done it twice this season.

After the game, Fever coach Christie Sides had this to say about her prized rookie:

“She’s playing really well. She’s shooting the hell out of the ball. And she’s making sure she’s finding those open players. She had some amazing assists tonight. Triple-double. Second one for a rookie. Just really, really proud of her," Sides said.

Clark’s final two free throws settled the final score while her last rebound gave her the historic accomplishment.

More importantly, the win solidified the Indiana Fever’s hold of sixth place in the battle for playoff positioning after securing their spot in the postseason. After an inept 1-8 start of the season, Indiana is now 18-16, its first winning record since 2016. They might even land fourth place if the Seattle Storm (20-13) and Las Vegas Aces (21-12) falter late in the season.

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Christie Sides reveals Caitlin Clark told her “they awoke a monster” after Team USA snub

Christie Sides got her fair share of interviews following Caitlin Clark's exclusion from Team USA for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Sides told reporters she was disappointed the Fever All-Star did not make it but expressed excitement for the point guard’s future opportunities with the national team.

Sides opened up about her conversation with Clark after news had come out that the Indiana star would be left behind:

"She got the call on the bus and she texted me to let me know and I just tried to keep her spirits up. The thing she said was, ‘Hey coach, they woke a monster,' which I thought was awesome," Sides said.

Since the WNBA returned following the Olympics break, that “monster” is averaging 24.5 ppg, 9.1 apg, 5.7 rpg and 1.3 spg. She is hitting 47.9% of her shots, including 38.4% from behind the arc. The Fever are 7-1 mark during that stretch, the best in the league.

Can Caitlin Clark lead the Indiana Fever to a WNBA title this season? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.