Picture this: it is all on the line with a point down and seconds counting down on the clock. That is exactly how it was for the Indiana Fever against the Atlanta Dream. And you would think they would go to Caitlin Clark, their premier star and the most in-form player in the league. However, in a surprising turn of events, Clark lobbed the ball to Natasha Howard, who had just 6 points on the day.
Howard’s first shot was blocked, but luckily, she got another one. And as if written by an evil scriptwriter, Natasha Howard missed the midrange jumper, and Atlanta opened their account on the table. Now, as one would expect, the decision for Howard to take the last shot is being heavily criticized in the WNBA fandom.
Post-game, Stephanie White revealed that the last play was meant for Aliyah Boston, but instead ended up with Howard. She said in the press conference after the game, “Initially, we tried to get the ball to AB, but she was being chucked.”
And sure enough, one could see Boston repeatedly calling for the ball during that final play, but she was well guarded by Brionne Jones. With so many moving parts and players clashing during that final play, things were always going to be tough. However, the physicality was something Fever struggled with all game long.
White further said, “She had a good read. I mean, Tash was open; we probably should have called a timeout in that situation, but I felt like Tash was due. She had a good look; she had two good looks you know and that’s really all you can ask for in that situation.”
Amid the chaos, Clark kept her composure and found Natasha Howard open just a few steps from the post. Howard had two clear-cut opportunities to convert, but the shots wouldn’t fall, a reflection of a night where nothing seemed to go her way. Despite getting into decent scoring positions, she finished with just 6 points and missed all four of her free-throw attempts. It was a frustrating outing for the veteran forward, who couldn’t quite find her rhythm when her team needed it most.
White further admitted another mistake as she said, “it’s tough when you feel like you’re starting to get some momentum to sub. I probably should have subbed a little bit more in that second half, um but, like, the group that was out there”.
The game was never supposed to be so close. Caitlin Clark, Aaliyah Boston, and Kelsey Mitchell were guilty of not finishing it earlier. Dream was leading 76-65 at the start of the fourth quarter. But then Clark took over, making multiple long three-pointers to cut the deficit. Boston and Mitchell chipped in, as Fever led 90-89 for the first time since 2-0.
THE ATLANTA DREAM HOLD OFF THE FEVER TO PICK UP THEIR FIRST WIN
Brittney Griner and Rhyne Howard led the way for the Dream with 21 PTS & 20 PTS respectively!#WelcometotheW pic.twitter.com/Pt3EUGCQLf
— WNBA (@WNBA) May 21, 2025
In a quarter where momentum was on their side, making the right substitutions became crucial. On the day, White felt the risk wasn’t worth it and chose to let the game flow. It turned out to be the wrong call, but they could easily have ended up winning as well. What’s more, despite the loss, there was a silver lining for Caitlin as she went past yet another record.
Caitlin Clark breaks another record in Dream loss
Another day, another record broken by Caitlin Clark. But she would not celebrate much, as they were on the cusp of completing that comeback. After a disastrous start in which they went 31-23 down in the first quarter, Fever was always playing catch-up. They finally got that lead, but Atlanta’s Rhyne Howard hit two free throws, with 9.7 seconds left.
Clark had sparked a comeback with consecutive three-pointers. Her stat line at the end of the game read 27 points and 11 assists as she went 9-for-20 shooting, including 5-of-11 from 3-point range. The 6-foot guard also grabbed five rebounds and came away with a pair of steals while committing just three turnovers. She recorded the 350th assist of her career with her third of the game.
Clark found Aliyah Boston for an easy layup to become the fastest to 350 or more assists in the regular season of the WNBA, in just 42 games. At this rate, she will be the best creator women’s basketball has ever seen. The only challenge will be being consistent through the years.
Coming into the game, Clark had 347 career assists, with 337 from her rookie season and 10 from the season-opening win over the Chicago Sky. Her creative playmaking was on full display again as she recorded her 10th career game with at least 20 points and 10 assists. That performance tied Courtney Vandersloot’s WNBA record, a mark Vandersloot reached over 430 games.
Further, It won’t be long before she gets a shot at revenge as the Fever face the Dream once again on Friday.
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