Caitlin Clark and Fever Can't Be Intimidated Anymore

Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever proved they can no longer be intimidated with win over Connecticut Sun.

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) goes up for a shot against Connecticut Sun guard DiJonai Carrington (21) on Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2024, during a game between the Indiana Fever and the Connecticut Sun at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. / Grace Smith/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK

Let's rewind to May 14. It was the first game of the Indiana Fever's season, and thus the first of Caitlin Clark's WNBA career. They were playing the Connecticut Sun. Indiana lost that game going away and perhaps the lead story coming out of it was the lockdown defense DiJonai Carrington played against Clark.

Carrington gave Caitlin that welcome to the W reality in the contest. Well, reality has since changed, and its current version shows a Fever team that can no longer be intimidated.

Exhibit A being how Clark handled the pressure defense from DiJonai this time around. Carrington had an excellent game herself, but Clark showed she was ready for the physical challenge the Sun brought every step of the way. Complete with breaking the record for most three-pointers ever made by a rookie right in DiJonai's face.

CAITLIN CLARK NOW HAS THE MOST THREE POINTERS MADE BY A ROOKIE IN @WNBA HISTORY! 👌

Clark drains her 86th 3PM of the the season, passing Rhyne Howard's record of 85 set back in 2022 pic.twitter.com/7K6d8bM4GP

— NBA TV (@NBATV) August 28, 2024

But that wasn't the only difference from the beginning of the season to now. There was also a play that saw Alyssa Thomas set a mean screen on Caitlin that sent her tumbling to the floor. It was reminiscent of the picks set by New York Liberty stars Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones earlier this year that had many fans remarking about how rough and tough the W is.

Well, this time around Clark ate the contact and showed she was no worse for wear. Even sticking her tongue out to the crowd to show how unbothered she was.

Alyssa Thomas tries to take out Caitlin Clark, but Clark isn't fazed whatsoever. #WNBA #feverrising #caitlinclark pic.twitter.com/rhgMdJAsd6

— Chad (@ChadPursell) August 29, 2024

It helps that CC has gotten tons of help from her teammates. Lexie Hull's grit was huge for Indiana in the win and Kelsey Mitchell continued her electric play as a scorer. However, what was most important was the ability to grind it out shown by the Fever. Mitchell spoke to this point in discussing what she told the squad prior to tip off. "Being bullied is not an issue. We not going to be bullied today."

Kelsey Mitchell, on the atmosphere: “I definitely do feel like it was a playoff atmosphere… you’re going to continue to see that gritty type of play. I told our group earlier, I was like, I don’t care what happened in the game … we not going to be bullied today.”

Full: pic.twitter.com/Gf6C5eGL2L

— Matthew Byrne (@MatthewByrne1) August 29, 2024

We already knew Indiana could put the ball in the basket. But this victory against the Sun displayed how far they've come since the season began. And that they are ready for the top opponents in the league and playoff style basketball.

Clark called herself soft after she hurt her ankle in the previous contest. She was lying. The Fever proved it by rising to the occasion against the Sun this time around.