The ultimate rating Sunday was Indiana Fever 88, Phoenix Mercury 82.
For some followers of the WNBA, which may translate to Caitlin Clark 1, Diana Taurasi 0.
And shortly after the sport, the Fever’s social media crew additionally earned a W with a submit on X on the expense of Taurasi and the Mercury.
Sunday’s recreation at Footprint Middle in Phoenix was the primary assembly between Taurasi, the league’s all-time main scorer enjoying in her twentieth season, and Clark, school basketball’s all-time main scorer enjoying in her first skilled season.
The Mercury marketed the sport as “The GOAT vs. The Rook.”
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The Rook’s crew emerged with the victory after trailing by as many as 15 factors within the second half. Clark performed all however 33 seconds and almost had a triple-double — 15 factors, 12 assists and 9 rebounds — however shot 4 of 14 from the sphere and two of 10 from three-point vary.
Clark was feeling below the climate, Fever coach Christie Sides stated after the sport, and didn’t attend her crew’s postgame information convention. ESPN did get a quick on-court interview with Clark after the sport.
“I am simply glad we received,” Clark stated. “It was cool to play in opposition to [Taurasi], and clearly a extremely nice recreation. This crowd was completely unbelievable.”
Tarausi completed with 19 factors, three rebounds, three assists and three steals. Naturally, the 42-year-old was requested about Clark, 22, afterward.
“It is wonderful what Caitlin’s been in a position to do in her quick profession to this point,” Taurasi stated. “It’s simply been nothing in need of exceptional. The one factor that I actually love about her, she loves the sport. You may inform she’s put the work in. Even all through her quick WNBA profession, it has been a variety of strain, a variety of issues thrown at her, and she or he retains exhibiting up and retains getting higher each single recreation.
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“So her future is tremendous brilliant, and being a veteran and being on this league for a protracted, very long time, it’s fairly cool to see that going into the longer term.”
Clark was an enormous star for Iowa, drawing file scores for ladies’s school basketball throughout March Insanity earlier this yr. Main into the WNBA draft in mid-April, Taurasi was requested on “SportsCenter” what the league would have in retailer for Clark and different rookies.
“Actuality is coming,” Taurasi stated. “You understand, there’s ranges to this factor. And that’s simply life. All of us went by way of it. You see it on the NBA aspect and also you’re gonna see it on this aspect the place you look superhuman enjoying in opposition to 18-year-olds, however you gonna include some grown girls which were enjoying skilled basketball for a very long time.
“Not saying that it’s not gonna translate, ‘trigger whenever you’re nice at what you do, you’re simply gonna get higher. However there may be gonna be a transition interval the place you’re gonna have to present your self some grace as a rookie and it’d take somewhat bit longer for some individuals.”
Learn extra: Granderson: Caitlin Clark can deal with the bruises of being a WNBA rookie
Since then, Taurasi’s response generally has been diminished to the primary three phrases. And following Sunday’s recreation, the Fever social media made a thinly veiled reference to that a part of the quote with two phrases.
“Actuality examine,” the crew posted, together with the hashtag #FeverWin and a photograph of the crew celebrating.
The second of three video games between the groups this season is July 12 in Indianapolis.
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This story initially appeared in Los Angeles Occasions.