Alyssa Thomas stars with another triple-double as Sun beat Fever in Caitlin Clark’s playoff debut

UNCASVILLE, Conn. — More than four months have passed since Caitlin Clark began her WNBA career at Mohegan Sun Arena against Connecticut Sun on opening night of the 2024 season. But during the Indiana Fever’s playoff debut Sunday against those same Sun, it felt a lot like May.

Connecticut was the more composed, veteran team, and executed as such in a 93-69 win. The Sun’s defense — along with some odd clock issues in the first half — prevented the Fever from ever establishing a flow on offense, as they swarmed the passing lanes and used their length to deter shots.

Indiana didn’t succumb to turnovers as it did earlier in the season, but holding on to the ball didn’t help generate good looks, as it shot under 40 percent for only the seventh time this year.

Meanwhile, Connecticut had its usual balanced attack from the floor. Just as she did in the two teams’ first meeting, Alyssa Thomas had a triple-double with 12 points, 10 rebounds and 13 assists. She now owns four of the six triple-doubles in WNBA playoff history and collected her latest on the day she finished fifth in MVP voting, one spot behind Clark.

Thomas’ fiancé DeWanna Bonner was equally productive. She was tasked with the Clark defensive assignment and was superb against the rookie, preventing her from getting to her stepback going left and swallowing up Clark’s drives. Bonner had 22 points, five assists and two blocks, and the Sun were a game-high plus-22 in her minutes.

Connecticut also had some unexpected success from beyond the arc. Marina Mabrey — pushed into heavier minutes due to a first-half injury to Ty Harris — found her stroke in the third quarter and ended the game with five triples. The Sun finished with nine as a team, just the 11th time all season they’ve had at least eight in a game (which, you guessed it, includes opening night); they are 10-1 when they hit that total from the 3-point line.

Although the margin ballooned in the fourth, Connecticut was in control against the Fever from the middle of the second quarter onwards. The Sun weathered the early excitement from their youthful opposition and then dominated in a familiar way the rest of the game.

Game 2 between Indiana and Connecticut will be Wednesday from Mohegan Sun Arena at 7:30 p.m. ET.

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(Photo: Joe Buglewicz / Getty Images)