Although Caitlin Clark has only been able to compete in one of the three games against Paige Bueckers and the Dallas Wings this season, Bueckers continues to be a big admirer of her rival, expressing this before their latest matchup.
Even without Clark, the Indiana Fever managed to defeat Bueckers and the Wings 88-78, with Kelsey Mitchell leading the way with 23 points, despite Bueckers scoring 22. Ending the homestand with a 1-3 record, especially with a few close losses, is frustrating, but the team is still young and learning how to close out games.
Ion aired a special feature before Friday night’s game, giving Bueckers and Clark the chance to praise each other. Clark described Bueckers as a “winner,” sharing that she’s always been a fan from a distance. Both players, who grew up in the Midwest, competed against each other in high school and faced off a few times in college as well.
Bueckers was equally complimentary of Clark during her pregame interview with Ion.
“You come for the individual battles, but you leave as a fan of the game in general and a fan of so many other people’s performances. She [Clark] can just pick the game apart in any which way she decides.
“She just reads the game extremely well at all levels. Just the excitement that she brings, competitive fire, you see it every time that she plays.”
In the lone between the two stars this year, Caitlin Clark read Bueckers like a book, coming away with five steals to go with her 14 points and 13 assists in a game right before the All-Star break. And even without Clark playing in two of the games, the Fever are still 3-0 against the Wings this season.
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