00:00Able to affect that defense.
00:01Marcus coming off the masterful night and starts us off strong here from Indianapolis with a three ball.
00:07And we're going to expect a big night here for Cunningham. She does a good job stepping in when she needs to.
00:13She's putting on a show here in the early going.
00:16She's not afraid.
00:17Mitchell off the screen, catch and shoot, knocks it down.
00:21We've seen this from Kelsey Mitchell time and time again.
00:26Griner on Boston. It should be a fun matchup here tonight.
00:29A couple of all-stars and the Olympian gets that one to go, Brittany Griner.
00:40Boston will take it right at her. Gets inside and blocked by Griner.
00:46Mitchell pulls down the rebound, putting on the moves underneath.
00:49Griner stick right with her.
00:51Mitchell launches.
00:53Mitchell launches.
00:55Just a couple of threes on that possession.
00:57But Smith with the rebound and the stick back.
01:02Now for a couple of all-stars. Mitchell turns the corner, gets inside and banks it home.
01:06Talk about patience there.
01:08Will never sped up.
01:13This is where Caitlin Clark wants to play faster.
01:16Oh, she finds a cutting Boston.
01:18What a vision from Clark.
01:19She's got five assists in just over five minutes.
01:23For the reasoning behind her assists, which have been in the double-digit range here for four straight.
01:30Clark bouncing. There's Mitchell.
01:32Give her six assists in less than seven minutes.
01:36Scrambling right now, doing a good job.
01:38But being able to pressure and stop everyone, they have to be able to find an answer.
01:42Allen with the left hand and scoops it in.
01:44Nice shot there for Rebecca Allen.
01:46She's also played with Kristen Wallace on Team Australia.
01:49But this Indiana offense is playing with some serious pace.
01:54And Clark has seven assists in the first quarter.
01:57Taylor was signed to a seven-day contract here earlier today.
02:00So not out of the question.
02:02Former Beaver Garden can see some time with this short-handed group.
02:06Oh, Mitchell. That's a deep three.
02:08And Indiana's knocked down three of them here in the first.
02:11Unfortunately, there's no slump.
02:13Being able to battle back, really control it on the defensive end,
02:17and be there with that energy is really going to help them.
02:20Reiner ducks in and banks it home.
02:28Smith steps into a three, and she knocks it down.
02:33It's that balance for Indiana between wanting to play fast but not out of control
02:38as Natasha Mack finishes on the other end.
02:41An old coach back in high school called it organized chaos,
02:44meaning being able to play fast but under control.
02:47And here's Clark who lays it in on the other end.
02:52Look how quickly Clark trying to play here, even off of made buckets.
02:55But Mack there with a good defensive play comes up with a block.
02:58Just a really difficult stretch of schedule to start the season.
03:01Kaitlyn Clark playing as well as just about any guard in this league
03:05here over the last few weeks.
03:08Copper pulls up and knocks it down.
03:11That almost impossible to do again.
03:13She averages 23 a game, the second-leading scorer.
03:17Indiana has made it a point to try to establish Boston here
03:20as Boston gets inside and lays it in.
03:22That one came out off, but being able to go,
03:25knowing that you did exactly what you did,
03:27you get another steal here by the team.
03:29Their defense is great.
03:31This time it's Boston who feeds to Melissa Smith.
03:35With under three minutes to go in the third.
03:39Phoenix struggling to take care of it as Cunningham drops hole
03:42and knocks down a three.
03:44Big shot there by Sophie Cunningham.
03:46And then off of the make, look at Clark just running the floor,
03:49gets right to the rim.
03:51Coast to coast.
03:5335 feet and you have to defend that.
03:55You have to respect that.
03:57That's absolutely, that is a shot that she is well capable of making.
04:01Copper wide open in the corner and splashes home a three.
04:09Magnuson back for Boston and Boston from the mid-range.
04:13It's a deal.
04:19Mitchell going back door.
04:21This time it's Boston with the feed and an under one.
04:24The other team shot it well from out there here tonight.
04:27Both under 30% for three.
04:32Clark bouncing, Boston charging to the rim and finishes.
04:37Now a 17-point deficit.
04:40Shot clock is off.
04:42The Fever can play for the final possession.
04:44Nobody picks up four.
04:45So she takes it in and lays it in.
04:47It's an and one for Caitlin Clark who's putting together a first half masterpiece.
04:52That is the one area that you can circle as a negative in the first half
04:56for the Fever.
04:57It had 10 first half turnovers.
04:59And Makia Herbert-Harrigan knocks down a three for Phoenix.
05:07Clark stepping back.
05:09And hits a three!
05:11It's Caitlin Clark.
05:15Backing in on Copper, fades, fires, and can't connect.
05:18Boston battling.
05:20Boston pulls it down.
05:21Somehow tiptoes the baseline.
05:23Oh, Boston with a shot.
05:24Then she'll take it right in for that one.
05:27Beautiful basketball.
05:29Her ability to have great footwork is so talented.
05:33Still loose on the floor.
05:35She's been really active defensively tonight.
05:37And Clark watches the action.
05:40She gets rewarded.
05:42The record is Courtney Vandersloot with six.
05:45She will go for that record on Sunday as the Fever are in Minnesota.
05:49And here's Alyssa Smith doing a little work.
05:51Number one for Indiana getting in on the action here.
05:54They're all in double figures here less than three minutes into the third quarter.
05:59And that goes Boston with a denial.
06:02Just the determination, the passion, the willingness to win
06:05and get out there and make a play.
06:06Cunningham knocks down a step-back three.
06:09That's a pretty looking shot there from Sophie Cunningham.
06:12There's a lot of star power and experience on this Mercury roster.
06:16This has not been their night.
06:18But Phoenix and Mercury have a really good opportunity once the playoffs come around.
06:24Indi Ennis got it done inside the arc.
06:27Here is Clark with some space.
06:29Clark behind the back.
06:31It's Boston and it's too easy.
06:33It's just the way that they play.
06:36They are not doing anything bad right now.
06:40Everything is working.
06:41They have to continue with this same intensity.
06:43Austin Mitchell right up the guts.
06:45Mitchell draws the fouls.
06:49That's their largest lead at 26.
06:51Mitchell 43.
06:53There's Boston underneath.
06:55Picking up the loose change.
06:58You don't want to force that.
07:00Boston back for Clark.
07:02Rims out.
07:03Boston with the rebound.
07:04She's been dominating the guys.
07:08Six offensive rebounds.
07:10There is no question that the paint is a completely different story
07:13as Clark just went right by her former teammate and laid it in.
07:17She's got gaudy stat lines for Indi Ennis at the end of the night.
07:21Smith just two rebounds away from her own double-double.
07:24What a big shot.
07:25A bank in three.
07:26Herbert can come back and not only sign but play the exact same day.
07:30Play 15 minutes on the day as Smith comes up with the block.
07:34She's been really active on the defensive end.
07:37I haven't figured it out, and I've been playing the game all my life,
07:40so that is a special skill that I have, and Melissa Smith definitely has it.
07:47Another thing that the zone has an opportunity to do
07:50is slow down that Fever offense.
07:54The way through the year after this,
07:55it's amazing how quickly the game's going on Olympic year.
08:00Boston underneath.
08:01Pretty fine.
08:02Better denial.
08:03Herbert Harrigan.
08:06Indi Ennis shooting 19% from three.
08:09They are 72% inside the arc.
08:14Cunningham launches and delivers on a triple.
08:18It's almost like they are stepping up to this challenge.
08:21They understand it is hard to be up and keep a lead.
08:24What a big basket there.
08:26Diana Taurasi and Prisma Osborne.
08:29They added Greiner to the injury report in the second quarter.
08:32She's not come back, and Copper is leading the charge back.
08:36She's got Phoenix within 12.
08:39That's not an easy bucket there by Erica Wheeler.
08:42It's Indiana back up 14.
08:43Here's Copper on the attack.
08:45Extra pass.
08:46Cunningham wide open, and she knocks down a triple.
08:51Phoenix using the reset timeout to advance the ball.
08:54They still have one timeout.
08:56Copper driving on hole.
08:58Good defense there.
08:59Lexi Hall.
09:00Copper hit an impossible shot and draws a foul.
09:05What a valiant response from the Phoenix Mercury.
