As the WNBA’s historic season enters its final stretch, five teams have already secured their playoff spots following yesterday’s games. With a dominant 100-81 victory by the Indiana Fever (16-16) over the Chicago Sky (11-20), Caitlin Clark’s team climbed to sixth place, tying with the Phoenix Mercury and pulling five games ahead of the eighth spot. Unless something extraordinary happens, the Fever is poised to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2016, showcasing their best basketball in years, of course courtesy of Caitlin Clark.

The Caitlin Clark Effect

Any doubts about Caitlin Clark’s impact on the league were dispelled long ago. This year’s WNBA Draft was the most-watched in history, and the All-Star game saw record voting and viewership.

Yesterday’s game also featured the most expensive tickets in WNBA history, with an average price of $334. Fans clearly felt they got their money’s worth, as Sky supporters gave Clark a standing ovation when she exited the game with 3:52 remaining in the fourth quarter and the Fever up by 27 points-a tribute to a player who has quickly become a league sensation, or as they would say in my town, to Caesar what is Caesar’s.

The applause came on the biggest stage of Clark’s career, in the home arena of Angel Reese, often seen as her “nemesis.” The highest-priced ticket in WNBA history proved worth it, as fans witnessed Clark’s career-high performance: 31 points, 12 assists, and 4 rebounds.

It was Clark’s fifth game this year with 20+ points and 10+ assists, the most such games in a single season in WNBA history, and her third game with 30 or more points this season.

Clark currently leads the league in assists (8.3 per game), ranks second in minutes played (35.3), and is ninth in points (18.4), while continuing to break records.

In her previous game, she broke Rhyne Howard’srookie record for three-pointers made in a season, set in 2022 with 86, and she now leads the league with 93 three-pointers this season.

Fever Heating Up at the Right Time

The Indiana Fever has won five of its last six games and seven of its last ten. The fact that Clark didn’t participate in the Olympics gave her a mental and physical break that is now paying off at the most crucial point of the season. Clark and her team have managed to move past their rough 2-8 start of the season.

Kelsey Mitchell, who has scored 20+ points in six consecutive games, is fulfilling her role as Clark’s “Robin,” and the rest of the team is rising to the occasion.

The Fever’s next game is tomorrow on the road against the Dallas Wings (9-22), followed by a six-game homestand where they have turned their home court into a fortress, winning nine of their last ten there. Among those six games, the Fever will face two potential playoff opponents: the Minnesota Lynx (23-9) and the Las Vegas Aces (19-12).

These teams feature Olympic medalists and two of the favorites for the MVP award alongside Caitlin Clark-Napheesa Collier of the Lynx and A’ja Wilson of the Aces, with Wilson being the likely winner.