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The basketball world expected Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese to take the WNBA by storm when both applied for the 2024 draft. Clark went No. 1 to the Indiana Fever, while Reese joined the Chicago Sky six spots later. The two have not only done as expected but have incredibly exceeded expectations.
The first meeting between the two in the pros happened on June 1. In front of a sold-out Gainbridge Fieldhouse crowd, the Fever edged the Sky 71-70. Clark and Reese starred for their respective teams in a game that drew a then-record 1.53 million views, per multiple reports. Sky guard Chennedy Carter also took some of the highlights when she hit Clark with a shoulder check.
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A little over two weeks later, Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese had their rematch. This time, the Fever had a more lopsided home win. Clark had her best game of the season, finishing with 23 points, nine assists and eight rebounds to lead the host to a 91-83 win.
Meanwhile, Reese also stuffed the stat sheet with 11 points, 13 rebounds, five assists, two steals and one block. Like in the first game, the second head-to-head was another bruising battle highlighted by Reese’s inadvertent hit on Clark’s head. 2.25 million fans watched the game, breaking the previous record set early in June.
Angel Reese finally had her first win against Caitlin Clark in late June
Wintrust Arena in Chicago was filled to the rafters for Caitlin Clark’s first visit to the Sky home court. Sky fans, anticipating the game for months, finally got a front-row ticket to her rivalry with Angel Reese.
The “Chi Barbie” refused to let her thousands of fans down, leading the Sky to a nail-biting 88-87 victory. Reese had the best game of her WNBA career, finishing with 25 points, 16 rebounds and one assist. Clark excelled, putting up 17 points, 13 assists, six rebounds and four steals.
Chicago’s defense survived in the last 10.2 seconds. They forced Clark to give up the ball but allowed Kristy Wallace an open shot that went wide. Aliyah Boston’s desperate attempt from 22 feet failed to go in, giving the Sky its first win in the season series.
The final Fever-Sky game will be in late August
Basketball fans who haven’t had enough of Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese will see them again in late August. With a playoff spot likely at stake, the fourth and final battle between the Indiana Fever and Chicago Sky could be even more intense.
Before the WNBA took a break for the Olympics, Indiana had an 11-15 record for seventh while Chicago held a 10-14 card for eighth. Since only the top eight teams make the playoffs, the final Fever-Sky head-to-head will be crucial.
Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese were the headliners in three of the most-watched WNBA games this season. The fourth meeting between the two rivals might shatter those viewership numbers.
