Dave Portnoy slams BIZARRE Caitlin Clark offensive foul after Chelsea Gray’s ‘flop’ in Fever loss to Aces
Dave Portnoy had a gut-wrenching time watching Caitlin Clark’s Indiana Fever fall to the reigning-WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces.
One month after betting $100,000 on the Fever to win this year’s title – a wager that could earn him a $10 million windfall – the Barstool Sports founder suffered through a poor performance by both Indiana and Clark.
But it was the officials who came closest to giving Portnoy a coronary by whistling Clark for an egregious offensive foul during a doomed second-half comeback effort.
‘In what world is this an offensive [foul]?’ an incensed Portnoy said in a self-recorded video posted on X.
The clip showed Clark dribbling with her right hand and place her left hand on the body of Aces guard Chelsea Gray, who then collided with the All-Star while violently jerking her head backwards.
To many viewers and, of course, Portnoy, Gray was guilty of an obvious flop.
The clip showed Clark dribbling with her right hand and place her left hand on the body of Aces guard Chelsea Gray, who then collided with the All-Star
Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark reacts after being called for a foul during Wednesday’s loss
‘In what world,’ the 47-year-old moaned. ‘The star player of the league… You call that an offensive [foul]? What are we doing here? In the middle of a comeback. Outrageous! Salacious! Ridiculous! Periphiyrus!’
After Portnoy ended his video with a newly invented, nonsensical word, many of his followers rushed to agree with him.
‘Major flop,’ wrote one follower.
‘That’s @WNBA officiating at its finest,’ another added.
But not everyone agreed with Portnoy’s take.
‘She lowered her shoulder and leaned in,’ one follower responded. ‘That’s the definition of an offensive foul. The defender has a right to defend.’
You always have to make excuses for her,’ another posted.
Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark (22) goes to the basket against Las Vegas Aces’ Jackie Young
The call did not decide the game, which Indiana lost 86-75 as Aces legend A’ja Wilson set the WNBA’s single-season scoring record.
Clark responded to the officiating after scoring 16 points on just 6 of 22 shooting.
‘The offensive fouls are definitely surprising at times,’ Clark said after the loss. ‘I feel like I do get held and get quite a bit of contact throughout the games and you get hit with some of those when you take some contact and get contact back. It is what it is.’
Portnoy posted his own encouragement for the Fever following the Aces victory.
‘Get this game outta the system,’ he wrote. ‘Flush it. They were bound for a clunker. Caitlin shot/played like a**. Shocking they even hung around with her being that cold. All that matters at this point is to be rested and ready for playoffs. #FeverRising’
Clark took a nasty blow to the face after a collision with Jackie Young during the loss.
The No 1 overall pick could be seen holding her mouth as she writhed around in pain after being struck by an elbow.
Clark was briefly forced off the court before Young was penalized for the clash.
The Fever (19-18) have three more games remaining, beginning with a rematch against the Aces (23-13) on Friday.