With the WNBA starting up this Mother's Day weekend, here is the Weekend Recap for the Indiana Fever:
by Deon Cash
(1) Fever Fall in Season Opener to Mystics as Della Donne, Cloud Lead the Way
The Washington Mystics used the season opening home crowd to electrify their talented team as Elena Della Donne and Natasha Cloud provided the heavy lifting to lead 4 Mystics hoopers in double figures in the home win 84-70.
Della Donne dropped 21 points to go with 9 boards, while Cloud put in 17 with 6 dimes and made some moves that was worthy of ESPN Top 10 material and had the crowd "oohing and aaahing."
The Fever played a game of two halves, as the young Fever team looked a little overwhelmed early. After settling into the game, they competed and actually would pull a nearly 20-point deficit down to a 7-point lead midway through the 4th quarter.
But the dynamic duo of Della Donne and Cloud proved to be too much down the stretch as the 2019 WNBA Champs got the opening win.
Top Ballers of Game 1: Mitchell, Smith, Egbo, Della Donne, Cloud,
Kelsey Mitchell (18pts) found her groove, leading the Fever in scoring.... #2 draft pick NaLyssa Smith (13 pts, 13 boards) led the Fever in boards and showed great promise....1st rounder Queen Egbo also had a nice rookie intro game with 10 points to go with 6 rebounds....Elena Della Donne was vintage with a nice all around performance, while G Natasha Cloud was dominant, showing why she could catapult the Mystics into Championship talk.
(2) Sparks Ride Cambage, Sykes to Spoil Mothers Day for Fever
The L.A. Sparks came into Indy on Mothers Day ruined the home opener for the Fever, as WNBA Superstar Liz Cambage led the way in a tough battle 87-77.
The Sparks had 5 players in double figures, and used a big 2nd quarter run to grab a lead they wouldn't relinquish en route to their 2nd win on the season.
Indiana came out with a much different vibe in the 2nd game, as Kelsey Mitchell had a hot start, which gave the Fever a early lead. The Fever would go toe to toe with the Sparks for most of the 1st half, and would stay in striking distance up until late in the 4th quarter. NaLyssa Smith and Destanni Henderson helped keep the game close, as the rookies performed at a high level in their 2nd game.
But when the chips were on the line, the Sparks called on Cambage and the Ogwumike sisters, and they proved to be too much muscle inside for the Fever.
With the win the Sparks move to 2-0 for 1st time since 2018, while the Fever fall to 0-2 on the season.
Top Ballers of Game 2 - Sykes, Cambage, Henderson, Smith
Brittney Sykes was unstoppable as she wreaked havoc with 17 pts and 5 steals and had the control of the game...Liz Cambage, arguably the best center in the game, was dominant and showed her all around game as well...Destanni Henderson showed why she will be a contender for Rookie of the Year after another outstanding performance- a career high 19 pts...Nneka Ogwumike was also a constant, with 13 pts and 8 boards....NaLyssa Smith followed her double-double debut with another good performance, almost notching another double-double in the process (13 pts, 9 reb).
Fever to Face Minnesota Tonight, 1st Win on Deck?
The Fever 0-2 will host another home game, in which they will host the Minnesota Lynx tonight. The Lynx are 0-1 after a dismal showing in their opener, so they will be ready for a intense battle, as both teams look to get their first win of the season.
Expect to see a intense game tonight, and look for the Fever to grab their first win of the season. While the Fever have been competitive in both games, the youth and learning process has reared its head in the games, as the inexperienced squad is still looking for consistency.
Expect a explosive first W from the Fever tonight.
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