Caitlin Clark scores 29 points as Fever resume WNBA season with win over Mercury

Caitlin Clark looked rested and fresh after a month off in her first game since watching Team USA win Olympic gold. The rookie star scored 29 points with five rebounds and 10 assists in leading the Indiana Fever to a 98-89 win over the Phoenix Mercury on Friday night.

With that performance, Clark became the first rookie in WNBA history to score 450+ points (474) with 200+ assists (223). She also had her ninth game with 20+ points, 5+ rebounds and 5+ assists, moving closer to the record of 12 games with those totals set last season by the New York Liberty's Breanna Stewart.

Over her past two games, Clark is also the first player to score 50+ points with 25+ assists in league history.

Indiana's backcourt carried the night with Kelsey Mitchell tallying 28 points and shooting 6-for-13 on 3-pointers. Aliyah Boston added 14 points, followed by NaLyssa Smith's 13. Both players grabbed nine rebounds.

The Mercury initially looked tired, which would have been understandable while playing the second of back-to-back games to resume the WNBA season. Phoenix played Thursday, getting an 85–65 win over the Chicago Sky. And the team also had three starters play in last Sunday's gold medal game for the U.S. women's basketball team at the Paris Olympics.

However, after trailing by 28 points with six minutes remaining before halftime, the Mercury fought back to cut their deficit to one point (66-65) with one minute left in the third quarter. Indiana held onto its lead and kept Phoenix at bay through the fourth, maintaining at least a five-point margin before opening it back up to double digits.

Kahleah Copper continued her standout performance from the Olympic gold medal game, following up Thursday's 29-point effort with 32 against the Fever, along with eight rebounds and six assists. The nine-year veteran made 18 of 19 free throws.

Natasha Cloud scored 19 points for Phoenix, while also getting into a scuffle with Mitchell during the third quarter. Diana Taurasi added 16.

“That’s my dog. It’s two competitors. Me and Kelsey have been going at it for years," Cloud said after the game, via the Arizona Republic's Dana Scott. "We played AAU together. I have nothing but love for her. You saw us at the end, too. It’s always love. That’s just competitiveness of the game."

With the loss, the Mercury's record dropped to 14-13 with a 6-9 mark on the road. Phoenix lost all three of its games versus the Fever this season.

Indiana improves to 12-15 (7-5 at home) and next play the Seattle Storm on Sunday. Tip-off is at 3:30 p.m. ET and the game will be televised on ABC. Also on Sunday, the Mercury host the Sky at 9 p.m. ET.