Indiana Pacers rising superstar Tyrese Haliburton was in awe of Caitlin Clark's floor vision and playmaking skills on Friday. Clark put on a show at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis during the Indiana Fever's 98-89 victory over Diana Taurasi-led Phoenix Mercury. The 22-year-old rookie's sensational all-around performance ensured Indiana's 12th win of the season.
In addition to carrying the scoring burden, the former Iowa superstar excelled at creating open shots for her teammates with outstanding assists.
With 7:14 left in the second quarter and the Fever leading 41-18, Caitlin Clark delivered a jaw-dropping cross-court pass that sent the fans in the arena into a frenzy. Haliburton, seated in the first row, was stunned by the rookie's court vision, and his reaction spoke volumes. The Paris Olympics gold medalist jumped out of his seat, holding his head in disbelief.
The point guard's dime was perfectly on target as Kelsey Mitchell finished the play with an easy lay-up and extended Indiana's lead to 25 points. Haliburton, regarded as one of the NBA's top point guards, would have been proud of Clark's incredible assist to Mitchell from well beyond the half-court line.
Haliburton was hyped after watching Clark's spectacular display on the court. The Pacers point guard took to X (formerly known as Twitter) and said:
"Hope y’all seeing what 22 doin at Gainbridge."
Clark had an outstanding game and was the driving force behind the Fever's nine-point home victory. After the game, Clark walked to Haliburton and the two point guards shared a warm embrace.
Caitlin Clark stats vs Phoenix Mercury
Caitlin Clark dropped her 10th double-double of the season in Fever's victory against the Mercury. The former Iowa superstar scored 29 points in almost 36 minutes. Clark shot 8-of-16 from the field, including 4-of-11 from the 3-point range. The rookie shot 9-of-10 from the free-throw line.
The 22-year-old grabbed five rebounds, dished out 10 assists and finished the game with a +/- of +13.
In her first game back after the break, Clark broke numerous records and scripted fresh milestones. The Fever point guard recorded her fourth game with 25 points, 5 assists and 5 rebounds. She became the first rookie to register this stat line four times and broke Diana Taurasi's record.
For the second time this season, Caitlin Clark had at least 25 points and 10 assists in a game. All the other rookies combined have only one such game in WNBA history.
The two-time Rookie of the Month award winner also became the first rookie in WNBA history to record 450 points and 200 assists.