It would’ve been nearly impossible for the Liberty to nearly eliminate Caitlin Clark’s impact two games in a row.
This is Clark. This is what she does.
For four years at Iowa and for years to follow in the WNBA, the No. 1 overall pick dictated — and will continue to dictate — games with her step-back shot, her logo 3-pointers and her assists.
Clark, playing her first game in New York City, had her best WNBA game to start a young professional career.
She collected 15 points and four assists in the first half. She finished with 22 altogether.
But the Liberty still built an early 20-point lead and cruised to a 91-80 win to secure their first 3-0 start since 2021 and just their second since 2007.
The Liberty, in their first matchup with Clark, found a way to mitigate her success by using Betnijah Laney-Hamiltion to shadow Clark. With the ball. Without the ball. Wherever she went.
When Clark watched the film from Thursday, she noticed that face-guarding continued even when didn’t have possession.
That, she thought, was just part of the adjustment and figuring that defensive approach actually benefited the Fever.
And at the start, it worked. She collected 10 points and three assists in a strong first quarter, and her first 3-pointer gave the Fever a one-point lead midway through the frame.
Later, Clark was doubled when she started to execute a step-back 3, and she dished a pass underneath for an easy basket.
Laney-Hamilton was still tasked with defending her.
It was still tough for Clark to create space. But, especially early, she found some offensive rhythm.
“That’s gonna open stuff up for my team, and once we really start executing and running things correctly, it’s gonna be tough to guard, I think,” Clark said pregame.
By that point, though, the Liberty had already built a commanding lead.
Breanna Stewart led them with 24 points. Jonquel Jones finished with her second straight double-double. The Liberty connected on 15 3s, three shy of the WNBA record.
The Fever still pulled within 12 with nine minutes remaining in the fourth.
But Stewart drove a foul while driving and made. Laney-Hamilton pump-faked, got Erica Wheeler in the air, moved a step left and hit a 3.
Four minutes later, the Liberty’s lead hovered around 20 again.
This was the type of result that was supposed to happen, though.
The Liberty are built to win now. They have the established stars. The superteam.
Their last game at Barclays Center was a loss to the Aces in Game 4 of the WNBA Finals, when Courtney Vandersloot missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer that would’ve sent the series to a winner-take-all Game 5.
One of these days and one of these years, the Fever will be able to capitalize on Clark’s presence, on her talent, on the buzz that accompanies her at every arena.
Signs were scattered across Barclays Center.
She weaved through a handful of fans pregame and inked autographs.
Clark, in between the first and second quarters, told ESPN that it’s a “great environment for women’s basketball.”
But the Fever are taking the path that the Seattle Storm and Las Vegas Aces used — with No. 1 picks in two and three consecutive years, respectively — to construct a title-winning roster.
Seattle took Lauren Jackson in 2001, Sue Bird in 2002 and won the title in 2004. The Aces took Kelsey Plum in 2017, A’ja Wilson in 2018, Jackie Young in 2019 and are vying for a three-peat this season.
The Fever have the blueprint to follow.
They have the core pieces — Aliyah Boston, the No. 1 pick in 2023, and Clark — in place.
It’ll just all take time to mesh together for Clark and the Fever.
And the Liberty benefited from that twice in the first week of their season.