Game Preview: Fever Face Sparks on Thursday for Only Time in Los ...

LOS ANGELES – In the first of three contests this year, the Los Angeles Sparks (1-2) meet the Indiana Fever (0-5) at Crypto.com Arena on Friday at 10 p.m. ET. Friday’s game marks the second of three west coast matchups this week, following an 85-83 loss to Seattle on Wednesday. Indiana will conclude a back-to-back at Las Vegas against the Aces on Saturday at 9 p.m. ET.

Tonight’s game marks the first matchup between the top two picks in the 2024 WNBA Draft, Indiana guard and 2024 No. 1 draft pick out of Iowa, Caitlin Clark, and No. 2 pick from Stanford, Sparks forward Cameron Brink.

The last time the Fever and Sparks met at Crypto.com Arena was on July 27 last season when Los Angeles grabbed a 81-68 win against Indiana. Despite the loss, Fever guards Erica Wheeler and Kristy Wallace led Indiana with 17 and 13 points, respectively. WNBA Rookie of the Year Aliyah Boston also posted 12 points for the Fever in the last matchup against the Sparks in Crypto.com Arena.

With just more than one week of WNBA careers complete, Clark and Brink have already shown significant progress in their rookie seasons. Clark’s 20-point performance in the Fever’s first regular season game against the Connecticut Sun put her only one spot behind Tamika Catchings for the most points scored by a Fever player in their inaugural game. Following Clark’s first five games, she became just the third rookie in WNBA history to record at least 85 points, 25 assists and 20 rebounds in WNBA history, joining Sabrina Ionescu and Candace Parker in their first five games. Brink is the Sparks’ leading blocker this season with 3.7 blocks and has totaled 18 rebounds in her first three games.

During Indiana’s most recent game against the Storm on Wednesday, Clark led the Fever in scoring with 21 points and recorded seven rebounds, seven assists and two blocks. Indiana guard Kelsey Mitchell helped with 17 points and three rebounds and forward NaLyssa Smith grabbed 16 points and 11 rebounds – penciling in her first double-double of the season. The Fever outscored the Storm in paint points (50-46), bench points (20-12) and notched a season-high 40 rebounds.

Los Angeles won its first game of the season on Tuesday against the Washington Mystics, 70-68, led by Lexie Brown’s 20 points and six rebounds. Sparks center Dearica Hamby had a notable showing with 17 points and a season-high 18 rebound double-double.

Friday’s game will be broadcast on ION.