Phoenix Mercury vs. Indiana Fever - FULL GAME HIGHLIGHTS _ August 16, 2024
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00:00The playoff chase is on. The Fever with playoff aspirations. They're looking to get there for the first time since 2016
00:08It's the Olympian Griner and a future Olympian in Aaliyah Boston who get us started
00:13This Fever team is well-rested. They had one Olympian in Christy Wallace. Other than that, this group has been together
00:19here for the last month or so as Boston finds Mitchell who finishes
00:24Knocking down two big free throws to get the one-point win over France
00:27But guys that gold medal game was just five days ago. Unlike majority of these women in the league
00:33They didn't get the rest that they did. These three gold medalists as Boston dips inside and can't finish
00:38Boston wrestling through a triple team
00:44Here is Clark off the screen launches and drops a triple
00:49As Copper knocks down her second shot now on a back-to-back here tonight, this is really physically demanding
00:54No, it is extremely difficult. Just one not only physically but also mentally staying in it
01:01Go against another team here. They've been chomping at the bin. It's Tarassi. What a spin. Tarassi a finish
01:08a
01:0920-year veteran Diana Tarassi
01:12dialing back
01:13And it's Clark on the other end at 22. Go against another team here. They've been chomping at the bin. It's Tarassi
01:20What a spin. Tarassi a finish and a 20-year veteran Diana Tarassi
01:27dialing back
01:29And it's Clark on the other end at 22
01:33Beaver have hit seven of their last eight shots here from the floor. Samuelson good ball movements and finds Smith
01:41As
01:42Cloud launches and misses on a three. Phoenix has missed their first four. You can see what Indiana wants to do here
01:48They want to run and Mitchell pulls up and connects
01:52Almost cold off the bench and come your first shot is that three ball being able to knock it down
01:57Gotta have the confidence to do it as well
02:02Mitchell launches and hits a three. Mercury offense is ranked since 2015
02:08It's been a fever offense that has stolen the show here so far. Dantas tips it. There's Smith on the receiving end
02:21Working on copper a couple of all-stars Oh Mitchell
02:24She wins that battle. Three ball rims out. Phoenix just one of eights from the perimeter here so far
02:33Fourth pass is pace of play and that suits Caitlin Clark
02:38The
02:40Switch on the Dantas off-balance Parker copper
02:44Kaliya copper beats that first-quarter buzzer
02:47Playing her game and Phoenix gotta do a better job
02:51Closing out on there Clark. Oh from the logo couldn't get it to go, but there's Boston who cleans up underneath
02:59Miss this shot has to give you confidence as well to shoot and be in your game
03:03Indiana comes up with a turnover. Here is Clark this time at Smith with a foul and an and one
03:13Here's Mitchell all behind the defense
03:17And Caitlin Clark can do no wrong
03:22She's coming off that assist record in Dallas before the Olympic break
03:2716 points here early in the second quarter as for assists as well as cloud rattles that one in
03:37Trying to carve out some space
03:39People more than content to make Phoenix
03:42Jump-shooters and there is cloud defense there by Mack who got pinned in underneath able to react get a piece of Boston shots
03:49Here's
03:51Tarassi launching and hitting a three
03:54Somebody that just thoroughly loves basketball loves the game
03:58And being able to come out here and support I know means so much to these women
04:02But also get some of these tips as well being able to see where he can improve his game
04:11Wheeler turns the corner gets inside extra pass
04:14That was pretty and Boston cleans up
04:18Here before halftime as copper going cross-court to Cunningham cloud is open and rattles home a three
04:25Phoenix has had some good looks from the
04:27Lots of hands being able to move they got a fever have to do a good job finding the holes in the defense
04:33Copper back for Tarassi who splashes home a three and all of a sudden the floodgates have opened from the perimeter
04:41He were offensively turned it over just two times in that first half
04:45Average 15 a game so a very good sign from that perspective
04:49But it's grinder who gets a hallmark of a young team and a talented team like this fever had moments of brilliance
04:57within moments of struggle as
05:00Cunningham gets it inside to grinder
05:03I know turning on Boston and the hook shot pretty touch
05:06It's Indiana fever crowd a little anxious right now is Indiana led by 28 earlier
05:12It's a 26 to 7 run as Mitchell puts an end to it
05:19Smart play there by copper to intercept and here's Tarassi through traffic and a finish
05:25Wow, we've seen two great moves by Tarassi. I'm going downhill
05:31Kind of tied up there she and Tarassi play catch
05:34Refreshes the dribble shot clock down to five
05:36Copper off the screen from the foul line knocks it down
05:40Very similar hold start roaring back staying steady
05:48From the heavens
05:51Working on cloud nothing developing here for Indiana shot clocks already down to five
05:56It's gonna have to create Smith driving on grinder who sends it back
06:00Grinder with a signature block
06:03That Indiana's offense has struggled in the third quarter. They have seven points
06:09Cunningham wide open smashes home a three
06:12Comes up holding your head and the mercury have numbers the other direction
06:17Skip past copper extra pass Herbert Harrigan delivers on a three
06:23Turnovers they've had seven here in the third quarter
06:26Clark step back on a deep two. Oh gets the shooters touch
06:31Oh my god, Mitchell with five seconds left cross-court Clark this Clark see the clock hand off Samuelson
06:42Samuelson beats the buzzer
06:45And the fever and the third with a flourish
06:48But a tough one to get
06:51Clark off the screen find some space and delivers. It's a triple for Kaitlyn Clark. I've been going up
06:58I'm surprised to see Mitchell not launch either is Tarassi on the other end. It's a three and the mercury just refused
07:10Clark see it two bounces. Oh beautiful. It's Boston with the fish
07:15He's got the assignment of Natasha cloud with a shot clock down to five
07:18I'm trying to spin her way out of it
07:20I'm trying to create one on the shot clock cloud gets it up and knocks it down big shot Natasha cloud
07:26Soon as he's a double-team skip past Clark
07:31Mitchell corner three connects
07:37Of her game and she does that by going downhill being explosive and really doing a good job just getting a little step on the
07:45Mitchell with the hesitation and the
07:49Clark size it up cut again. Here is Mitchell
07:56In France and you probe her get the defense to shift and there's a wide-open Clark Cunningham answers with a three of her own
08:06Maitland Clark just wants to settle things down here for the moment
08:10To get the step on Cunningham Clark gets to the rim
08:15And that might have been at times from the line this season
08:18The big ones there for Indiana is cloud
08:22buries a three
08:24Big letters check back in
08:28Reiner cross-court pass
08:29Copper fires away and hits a three and Phoenix is back within six
08:34It's giving them again. You can't stop everything. You just got to try to make it difficult
08:38They were able to find those holes and Lexi hole
08:44Alyssa Smith
08:48Clark cutting it's Mitchell with the finish
08:52And I just six seconds to go to Rossi will dribble it away for the first time in franchise history
08:59We were a beat in the mercury for three times in the regular season
09:04Indiana sweeps the season series