Portland Fire Triumphs Over Indiana Fever, Stifling Caitlin Clark

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — In a commanding performance, the Portland Fire secured a 100-84 victory against the Indiana Fever on Saturday night, notably limiting star player Caitlin Clark to just six points. Megan Gustafson led the Fire with an impressive 22 points, while Carla Leite contributed significantly with 18 points and 12 assists. Emily Engstler also made her mark, achieving a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds, marking a milestone for the expansion team.

The Fire's recent success includes winning four of their last five matchups, showcasing their growing competitiveness in the league. Aliyah Boston stood out for the Fever, scoring 18 points and grabbing seven rebounds, but Indiana struggled to keep pace with Portland’s scoring. Clark's performance was hindered, as she spent 22 minutes on the court, making only one of her seven field goal attempts, alongside two rebounds and six assists. She faced foul trouble, accumulating five fouls, with her fourth foul occurring in the third quarter.

Portland took an early lead, finishing the first quarter 29-15 after Gustafson's layup, where she topped the scoring with eight points. The Fire maintained their momentum into the second quarter, highlighted by a three-pointer from Sarah Ashlee Barker that extended their lead to 44-26. By halftime, Portland was ahead 50-37, and they further extended their lead to 25 points in the third quarter, culminating with another three-pointer from Barker that energized the home crowd.

As the fourth quarter unfolded, the Fire led 98-79, allowing coach Alex Sarama to bench most of his starters. Notably, Clark missed the previous matchup against the Fire on May 21 due to a back injury, which was disclosed shortly before the game, leading to a warning from the WNBA for not reporting the injury in a timely manner. The Fever had previously defeated Portland 90-73 in that game.

The Moda Center was packed to capacity, with 19,347 fans in attendance for this exciting contest. The Fever will host Atlanta on Thursday night, while the Fire are set to face Golden State on Tuesday.