“Gassed and asked for a sub” - Indiana Fever’s coach gives candid admission on Caitlin Clark’s pre-season debut

Caitlin Clark made her highly anticipated WNBA pre-season debut with the Indiana Fever, but it was the Dallas Wings who stole the spotlight by securing a 79-76 win with a 3-pointer in the final second of the game on Friday at College Park Center.

The evening presented challenges for Clark. In a candid post-game press conference, Fever coach Christie Sides offered insights into the rookie's condition during her first professional outing.

"It got to a point early where she was gassed and asked for a sub. That was awesome for her to do."

Sides continued,

"We have to do better. We can't let her get to that point."

Sides noted the importance of effectively managing Clark's stamina, particularly as she encounters double teams and aggressive defense.

The ex-Iowa star played 28 minutes, scoring 21 points on 6-of-15 shooting. She added three rebounds and two assists.

Dallas Wings thwart Caitlin Clark on debut

The drama peaked in the final seconds as the Wings nailed a decisive 3-pointer with only three seconds remaining, turning the focus from Clark's debut to their own resilient victory.

Despite the outcome, the crowd fully supported Clark throughout the game. She received a thunderous roar from the audience during her initial introduction. The guard quickly made her mark, hitting a 3-pointer within the first minute from the right side of the arc, propelling the Fever to a 5-2 lead.

Minutes later, her second 3-pointer extended Fever's advantage to 14-3. For her last three of the first quarter, Clark maneuvered past Wings' Jacy Sheldon, her former Big Ten rival from Ohio State, found an opening, and then took a shot from the arc.

By the time she returned to the bench after the first 10 minutes, Clark had scored 11 of the Fever's 19 points, helping them maintain a four-point lead, though the Wings closed the quarter ahead 26-23.

In the second quarter, the Fever rebounded strongly, outscoring the Wings 25-14, but the Wings took the third quarter 20-14. In the tense final 10 minutes, the teams were evenly matched until Arike Ogunbowale's 3-pointer put the Wings in front for good.

With the defeat behind them, the Fever are quickly turning their focus to their next preseason game against the Atlanta Dream on Friday, May 10.