Four former #1 picks + two MVPs = a blowout win for the Liberty

For fans of the Indiana Fever, Thursday night’s matchup was the dawn of a new era: the home debut of first overall pick Caitlin Clark. For the New York Liberty, it was just another regular-season game. That’s the difference between a group of talented players and a championship core — and three of four quarters emphasized that disparity.

As if scripted by the divine, the night’s first two shots were made by Breanna Stewart and Clark, two top picks separated by eight drafts.

Sabrina Ionescu , who went first to New York in 2020, continued the trend. 

Aliyah Boston, the top selection two years ago and fourth and final member of this exclusive party, wouldn’t make her first shot until later in the first quarter. 

Even then it seemed too little too late. Sprinkling in lots of effort from Jonquel Jones, a couple more makes for Ionescu and lots more for Stewie, New York led 25-16 after one in what was a wire-to-wire win. But it wasn’t without challenge. Late in the third Clark saw a pair of free throws go through, then her lone 3-point make of the night, sparking a 12-0 Indiana run that cut the gap from 23 to 11.

Boston gave her best Betnijah Laney-Hamilton impression, stuffing the stat sheet, while all five of Kelsey Mitchell’s points came in the run. But in the fourth the Fever broke, as the differences between the teams showed. New York’s defense held Indiana to 10 points while the offense scored 35, making for a 25-point exclamation point on the win and a very loud asterisk for Clark’s home debut.

Notes

• Betnijah, Betnijah, Betnijah. Your role player’s favorite role player. Tasked with guarding Clark, Laney-Hamilton held her to just three shots in 35 plays, per Michael Voepel/ESPN Stats & Info. Masterclass.

• Credit to Clark, who recovered from a disastrous first half when Laney-Hamilton helped hold her to one basket, two points and three turnovers: in the second she was able to exercise some of Sides’ adjustments, leading to a seven-point quarter. It wasn’t enough for the win, but it was enough to inspire some confidence moving forward.

• Laney-Hamilton didn’t shine as much on the offensive end but added 12 on three unassisted field goals and a perfect 6-of-6 at the charity stripe. She finished +43, a franchise record tied for sixth-best in league history. And +43 still feels conservative.

• After scoring eight on 3-of-9 shooting in the opener, Stewart recalibrated with an MVP performance: 31 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, three steals, two blocks and a +26 in 29 minutes. Count me amongst the many who will never get tired of her fadeaway jumpers. 

• New York’s defense the first two games has masked some poor shooting. After leading the W with 444 threes last year, they’ve made just 16-of-55, or 29% Don’t look for that to stay.

• The same goes for Ionescu, who finished the night 2-of-8 from deep. But as was/is the fashion team-wide, that didn’t sway her overall impact. Ionescu put up 14 with seven rebounds, three assists, two stocks and a +34 in 29 minutes. That bodes well for this season.

• For a second straight night the Fever beat themselves as much as the opposing team, outrebounded 47-39 while committing 16 turnovers. The integration period for Clark will be a challenging one, and won’t be without strings and strings of losses. 

• Jonquel Jones is not the Jonquel Jones of last season. I’m marking Betnijah down as New York’s second-best player in this one, but Jones made it a difficult decision. After missing five of six shots in the first half, Jones didn’t let a poor shooting start become her whole night. She finished with 14 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and three blocks, playing as big a part as any in a dominant defensive front for the Liberty.

Sandy Brondello dispatched her Swiss Army knife onto Caitlin Clark from the jump, keeping her off-keel while her championship core warmed up muscles that have been largely dormant since October of last year. For the Liberty players, it was just another regular-season game. For fans of the Fever, it will forever be the one where Betnijah spoiled Caitlin’s homecoming.