Alyssa Thomas Leads Connecticut Sun to Victory Over Indiana Fever to Clinch Playoff Series at Home
Alyssa Thomas and the Connecticut Sun were thrilled to conclude their opening-round series at home in two games. Thomas's outstanding performance, with 19 points and 13 assists, led the Sun to an 87-81 victory over Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever on Wednesday night, sweeping them out of the playoffs, AP reported.
Before 2022, the Sun always needed a decisive third game to advance, typically on the road. However, this time, they capitalized on their homecourt advantage. "Finally locked in and took advantage of homecourt advantage," Thomas said, referencing her triple-double in Game 1. "We’re ready. Tested tonight and it wasn’t pretty, but that’s the nature of playoffs. We pulled out a gutsy win."
The Sun, seeded third, will face Minnesota in the semifinals starting Sunday.
Clark, who played better in Game 2 than her postseason debut, achieved 25 points and nine assists but fell short. "Obviously it’s a tough one, especially as we climbed all the way back in and just to have our opportunities late," she said.
Aliyah Boston contributed 16 points and 19 rebounds. Her layup briefly gave Indiana a 77-75 lead, but DeWanna Bonner soon responded with a crucial 3-pointer in her 82nd playoff game. Marina Mabrey then hit a 3-pointer with 45.5 seconds left, giving the Sun an 81-77 advantage. Kelsey Mitchell missed a critical 3-pointer next, sealing the win for the Sun from the foul line.
Trailing by seven at the half, the Fever tied the game by scoring the first seven points of the third quarter. They traded baskets until Lexie Hull’s layup gave them a 48-47 lead. However, Thomas then led a 14-4 run to reclaim control. Clark managed to bring the Fever close again, with her 3-pointer giving them a short-lived 71-70 lead.
Indiana had a quick start, leading 14-6, but the Sun closed the first quarter strong with an 11-point run. Clark, scoring 14 points in the half, pointed out a fan who was later removed but returned without further incident. The Sun expanded their lead early in the second quarter and led 41-34 at halftime.
Attention was momentarily diverted when Erica Wheeler crashed into courtside photographers in the first half's final play but did not return due to a thumb injury. The absence of starting guard Tyasha Harris, who injured her ankle on Sunday, meant Mabrey filled in effectively.
Earlier, SSP wrote that Anthony Joshua emerged heavier than Daniel Dubois.