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WNBA Indiana Fever

Game Preview: Fever Looking to Extend Winning Streak to Six on Friday Against Lynx

September 5, 2024 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Indiana Fever News Release


Indiana Fever vs. Minnesota Lynx

Friday, Sept. 6

Gainbridge Fieldhouse | 7:30 p.m. ET

Broadcast Information

ION

Probable Starters

Indiana Fever (18-16)

Guard - Kelsey Mitchell (19.0 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 1.9 apg)

Guard - Caitlin Clark (18.9 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 8.4 apg)

Guard - Lexie Hull (5.3 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 0.9 apg)

Center - Aliyah Boston (13.7 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 3.1 apg)

Forward - NaLyssa Smith (11.1 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 1.1 apg)

Minnesota Lynx (24-9)

Guard - Kayla McBride (15.9 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 3.3 apg)

Guard - Courtney Williams (11.0 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 5.4 apg)

Center - Alanna Smith (10.5 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 3.2 apg)

Forward - Napheesa Collier (20.4 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 3.6 apg)

Forward - Bridget Carleton (9.1 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 2.4 apg)

Game Status Report

Indiana: Temi Fagbenle - QUESTIONABLE (Right Shoulder)

Minnesota: No injuries

GAME PREVIEW:

The Indiana Fever tip off the second game of a six-game homestand while riding a five-game winning streak on Friday night against the Minnesota Lynx. Indiana and Minnesota have split the regular season series with the most recent matchup being a 90-80 loss for Indiana on August 24 at Target Center. Indiana's first meeting of the season with Minnesota was back on July 14 and resulted in an 81-74 win at Target Center. In both matchups, Fever players center Aliyah Boston, guards Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell and forward NaLyssa Smith all scored in double figures.

Friday night could be a potential first-round playoff matchup this year with Minnesota currently at the No. 3 seed and Indiana in the No. 6 seed. The Fever continued its momentum with a 93-86 victory against the Los Angeles Sparks on Wednesday evening, taking the regular season series with Los Angeles, 2-1. Clark, who was named the WNBA Eastern Conference Player of the Month and Week, and also received Rookie of the Month honors for August on Wednesday, became just the sixth player in WNBA history to record multiple triple-doubles as she finished with 24 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists on Wednesday. In the win, Clark also became the first player in WNBA history to record at least 200 assists and 100 made 3-point field goals in a single-season. Entering Friday, Clark needs one made 3-point field goal to pass Mitchell for the most made 3-point field goals in a single-season in franchise history and is just 14 assists away from totaling 300 assists on the season. Per Elias Sports Bureau, Clark is also on pace to set a WNBA record for most combined points scored and assisted on per game in league history averaging 37.6 ppg responsible for.

Similar to Indiana, Minnesota was the only other team in the league to lose just one game in August, a 94-76 defeat to the Dallas Wings on August 30. Mitchell and Clark were the second and third leading scorers in the WNBA during the month of August, as Lynx forward Napheesa Collier followed in sixth averaging 22.4 points per game last month. Minnesota last played on Sunday against the Chicago Sky in a 79-74 win at Target Center. Lynx guard Courtney Williams led Minnesota in the victory with a 22-point and six-assist performance and Collier added 15 points.

In the league's scoring ranks, Clark, Mitchell and Collier are all in the top 10, each averaging more than 18 points per game. Boston and Collier are also among the top 10 in rebounds, both averaging at least 9.1 rebounds per game. Clark remains the league leader in assists with 8.4 per game, while Williams is tied for sixth place, averaging 5.4 assists per game. Indiana and Minnesota are closely matched in several league categories. In blocks, Indiana ranks fourth with an average of 4.6 blocked shots per game, while Minnesota is one spot behind, averaging 4.3 per game. The Fever are second in field goal shooting percentage at 45.3 percent, while the Lynx are fourth, shooting 44.8 percent. Although Clark leads the league in assists, Minnesota tops the charts for assists per game with an average of 23.3 compared to Indiana's fifth-place average at 20.4.

Check out the Indiana Fever Statistics

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