Caitlin Clark scores 30, but Sparks avenge loss to Fever

Kia Nurse scored 22 points and Aari McDonald added 21 off the bench as the visiting Los Angeles Sparks exacted some revenge on the Indiana Fever with a 88-82 victory by overcoming a career-high 30 points by Caitlin Clark on Tuesday at Indianapolis.

Dearica Hamby scored 17 points with 10 rebounds and Rickea Jackson added 12 points as the Sparks (2-4) earned the victory four days after they fell 78-73 at home to the Fever.

Clark was 7 of 16 from the floor and 3 of 10 from 3-point range for the Fever (1-7) in her eighth game, with six assists but had seven turnovers. Aliyah Boston scored 17 points and Kelsey Mitchell added 15 for Indiana.

In the battle of the top two selections in last month's WNBA Draft, Clark got the best of the Sparks' Cameron Brink, who scored three points with three rebounds in 24 minutes. Brink did have a block inside on Erica Wheeler with 1:36 remaining to prevent the Fever from pulling within five points.

The Sparks took charge early, opening a 24-15 lead after the first quarter. The Fever inched closer in the second quarter, with Los Angeles still taking a 37-32 lead into halftime after Indiana shot just 29.4 percent from the floor in the opening two quarters.

The Fever started the third quarter on an 11-0 run to take a 43-37 lead in the third quarter and were up 55-48. But the Sparks closed the third quarter on a 11-0 run of their own for a 59-55 lead.

Indiana pulled to within 64-63 on a Clark 3-pointer with 7:44 remaining before Los Angeles took control with a 12-0 run for a 76-63 lead with 4:11 remaining. Nurse scored seven points in the run, while McDonald had the other five.

Nurse scored 15 points in the fourth quarter alone as the Sparks opened a three-game road trip with the victory. Los Angeles won despite committing 19 turnovers, while outscoring Indiana 31-9 off the bench.

Clark also played solid defense with three steals and three blocks as the Fever dropped the opener of a three-game homestand.

--Field Level Media