The Indiana Fever are set to face off against the Los Angeles Sparks on Wednesday, September 4 at 7:00 p.m. ET at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Fans can catch the game on MeTV and CBS Sports Network.
The Fever, sporting a record of 17-16, will likely start:
– Kelsey Mitchell (19.0 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 1.9 apg) as guard
– Caitlin Clark (18.7 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 8.4 apg) as guard
– Lexie Hull (5.4 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 0.9 apg) as guard
– Aliyah Boston (13.4 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 3.0 apg) as center
– NaLyssa Smith (11.1 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 1.1 apg) as forward
Meanwhile, the 7-25 Sparks are expected to start:
– Odyssey Sims (9.9 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 5.4 apg) as guard
– Dearica Hamby (17.5 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 3.4 apg) as forward
– Azurá Stevens (10.5 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 2.2 apg) as center
– Stephanie Talbot (4.2 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 2.2 apg) as forward
– Rickea Jackson (12.6 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 1.4 apg) as forward
In terms of player availability, Indiana’s Temi Fagbenle is listed as questionable due to a right shoulder issue. For the Sparks, Cameron Brink, Lexie Brown, and Layshia Clarendon have all been ruled out for various reasons including injury and mental health support.
Previewing the game, the Fever come off two consecutive road victories and a strong 5-1 record in August, which secured their spot in the WNBA postseason. Indiana previously defeated Los Angeles, 78-73, on May 24, led by Mitchell’s 18 points and Boston’s 17 points. Since returning from the Olympic break, Mitchell has been on fire, averaging 25.2 points per game and recently breaking the franchise record for consecutive games scoring over 20 points, reaching seven.
In their second matchup this season, the Sparks edged the Fever, 88-82, despite a stellar 30-point performance from Clark. In her last outing, Clark scored a career-high 31 points along with 12 assists, becoming the rookie with the most games recording at least 10 assists in WNBA history.
The Sparks are looking to improve their standings after a difficult August, during which they lost rookie forward Cameron Brink to an ACL injury. Despite struggling with a 1-6 record for the month, Los Angeles recently secured a 94-88 victory against the New York Liberty, powered by Hamby’s impressive all-around performance.
Both Kelsey Mitchell and Caitlin Clark are among the WNBA’s top scorers, with Mitchell averaging 19.0 points and Clark close behind at 18.7 points. Hamby is also making her mark, ranking 12th in scoring with 17.5 points and third in rebounding with 9.8 boards per game. Boston follows closely in rebounding ranks, averaging 9.0 rebounds per game. Clark continues to lead all rookies in several categories, while Sparks’ Jackson is making an impact with her 12.6 points per game.