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Has Caitlin Clark already clinched WNBA Rookie of the Year following win vs. Wings?
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark could be a virtual lock to win Rookie of the Year after another outstanding showing against the Dallas Wings.
On Sunday, the Fever (17-16) beat the Wings (9-23), 100-93, to move one game above .500. Clark finished with 28 points, 12 assists and eight rebounds on 10-of-19 shooting. Meanwhile, fellow guard Kelsey Mitchell scored a season-high 36 points on 12-of-22 shooting.
The Indiana Fever's backcourt duo packed the one-two punch vs. the Dallas Wings
— WNBA (@WNBA) September 1, 2024
Mitchell: 36 PTS, 6 REB, 12-22 FG, 5-7 3PT
C. Clark: 28 PTS, 4 REB, 12 AST, 10-19 FG, 5-11 3PT#WelcometotheW pic.twitter.com/r2lY4IOZHB
Since returning from the Olympic break, the Fever are 6-1. According to StatMamba, Clark — the No. 1 overall pick of the 2024 WNBA Draft — has averaged 24.6 points per game, five rebounds per game and nine assists per game during this stretch. She has also shot 48% from the field, 39% from three and 92% from the foul line.
StatMamba adds that Clark needs 128 points and 41 assists over her last seven games to break the rookie scoring record and the league's assist record.
Caitlin Clark since the break:
— StatMamba (@StatMamba) September 1, 2024
24.6 PPG
5.0 RPG
9.0 APG
48/39/92%
6-1 W/L pic.twitter.com/I2lVKtT5sj
Caitlin Clark now needs to average 18.3 PPG & 5.9 APG over her remaining 7 games to:
— StatMamba (@StatMamba) September 1, 2024
• Break the rookie season PTS record
• Break the WNBA season AST record pic.twitter.com/MU8ovZWwlR
Through 32 games, Clark has averaged 18.4 PPG and 8.3 APG, so it wouldn't be surprising if she matches or surpasses these marks.
With Clark on the verge of breaking multiple records, expect her to pull away from Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese in the ROTY race. Per Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press, BetMGM recently listed Clark's odds of winning the award at -5000, meaning she's a heavy favorite.
Clark could help the Fever make their first playoff appearance since 2016, strengthening her ROTY case. Indiana is sixth in the WNBA, if it stays in this position, it will make the postseason.
More must-reads:
- Kelsey Mitchell’s season-high 36 points lead Fever over Wings
- Sky rookie Angel Reese sets pair of WNBA rebounding records
- The 'MLB mascot names' quiz
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TODAY'S BEST
Chicago Sky Coach Issues Strong Statement After Loss to Caitlin Clark-Less Fever
The Chicago Sky put up a good fight on Sunday against the Indiana Fever. Despite not having the services of two-time All-Star Angel Reese due to a back injury, the shorthanded Sky battled hard against an Indiana side that was also missing the injured Caitlin Clark. In the end, however, Chicago still lost out, 93-78, marking their third defeat to the Fever in three games played this season. This was also the Sky’s fifth consecutive loss as they fell to 7-18 on the season. Sky Coach Tyler Marsh Reacts to Fever Defeat In his postgame press conference, Chicago head coach Tyler Marsh sent a defiant message following the disappointing loss. The rookie shot-caller heaped praise on his players’ effort in the game. "You learn to be proud of efforts like these,” he said, via Sky reporter Karli Bell. “One thing about us is we're not going to give up." Reese wasn’t the only player sidelined on Sunday. Ariel Atkins, Moriah Jefferson and Hailey Van Lith also sat out due to respective injuries. Courtney Vandersloot has also been out of commission after undergoing season-ending surgery on her ACL in June. It was Rachel Banham who led the charge for Chicago in this one, going off for a season-high 26 points on six triples. It still wasn’t enough, though, as the Fever still managed to hold off the Sky. "I thought we played three quarters of really tough basketball," Marsh added. The Sky will need to focus on the silver lining from this tough loss as they prepare for their next game. This comes in the form of a road matchup against the 12-13 Washington Mystics on Tuesday. At this point, it remains to be seen if Reese will be ready to go for that one.
Cowboys make questionable move amid Micah Parsons stalemate
The Dallas Cowboys extended one of their stars Sunday, just not the one fans wanted them to pay. At Cowboys training camp Saturday, Dallas fans serenaded owner Jerry Jones with "Pay Micah [Parsons]" chants. The EDGE, of course, is set to play on the fifth-year option of his rookie contract this season. Jones must not have been listening. He gave tight end Jake Ferguson a new contract instead. Dallas and the 26-year-old pass-catcher agreed to a four-year, $52M contract extension, via NFL Media's Ian Rapoport. This move seems head-scratching. Parsons has won the 2021 Defensive Rookie of the Year and earned two first-team All-Pro nods since the Cowboys took him with pick No. 12 in the 2021 NFL Draft. The 26-year-old EDGE also finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting during the 2021 and 2022 seasons. Ferguson, meanwhile, is solid but not elite. In three seasons with the Cowboys, the 2022 fourth-round pick has made one Pro Bowl and has never finished with more than 761 receiving yards in a season. An extension for Parsons will devour future cap space. The Cowboys may be worried about that after giving quarterback Dak Prescott (four years, $240M) and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (four years, $136M) long-term deals in 2024. Pittsburgh Steelers EDGE T.J. Watt signed a lucrative three-year, $123M extension on July 17, making him the league's highest-paid non-QB. Parsons could command a similar contract. If cap space is Dallas' primary concern, however, why would it extend Ferguson? He's now set to be the NFL's seventh-highest-paid TE. The Cowboys waited to extend Lamb and Prescott just before the start of the 2024 season. They may be doing the same with Parsons. The star defender has said, "Ownership is always gonna make [contract negotiations] drag out." Regardless, the Cowboys should've paid Parsons before Ferguson. That's a much bigger priority for the team.
Yankees not close to done adding ahead of trade deadline
The New York Yankees already made headlines by acquiring third baseman Ryan McMahon from the Colorado Rockies on Friday. That may not be their only move ahead of the July 31 trade deadline. According to Chris Kirschner of The Athletic, the Yankees have an extensive shopping list. While a right-handed hitting infielder is a priority, New York is also looking for help in the rotation and bullpen. Acquiring McMahon may have contributed to the push for a right-handed hitting infielder. McMahon has struggled against left-handed pitching throughout his career, posting a .231/.307/.378 batting line in 1,079 plate appearances, hitting 34 homers and 35 doubles. Those struggles have been even more pronounced this year. McMahon is slashing .207/.289/.310 in 97 plate appearances against southpaws, with two homers and three doubles. Kirschner specifically listed Minnesota Twins utility man Willi Castro as someone the Yankees are targeting, whose career .260/.306/.399 batting line in 689 plate appearances against lefties would make him a solid complement to McMahon. Likewise, the club's pursuit of pitching makes sense. Marcus Stroman has been much better since returning from the injured list at the end of June, but he cannot be considered a reliable option. Rookie Will Warren has been inconsistent, and with Clarke Schmidt likely lost until 2027 due to Tommy John surgery, the rotation needs work. New York's relief corps may be further down the team's needs. While every contending team looks to bolster the bullpen ahead of the trade deadline, the Yanks' upgrades could come from within. Relievers Fernando Cruz and Mark Leiter Jr. are expected back in August, while fellow reliever Yerry De los Santos was activated from the IL on Saturday. The Yankees still have a lot of work to do ahead of the trade deadline. It could be a busy next few days in the Bronx.
Rangers Sign Former Stanley Cup Champion to Tryout Agreement
The New York Rangers are adding to their forward depth ahead of their upcoming training camp. The Rangers are entering a new chapter of their organization under new head coach Mike Sullivan. After missing the postseason last year, the organization is trying to rebound and respond accordingly in 2025 and 2026. Former Stanley Cup champion forward Conor Sheary is the latest player to join the new-look Rangers. The veteran forward agreed to a professional tryout agreement (PTO) with the club and will look to earn an NHL deal with his performance in training camp and the preseason. Sheary is a veteran of 593 NHL games. Originally an undrafted free agent, he signed with the Pittsburgh Penguins after completing his collegiate career. Following a year with the Penguins' AHL affiliate, he forced his way onto the NHL squad after posting 36 points in his first 30 games of the 2015-2016 season at the AHL level. His debut NHL season went better than ever expected, and he was a key part of the Penguins' lineup that won back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017. Sheary's coach at the time, both at the AHL and NHL levels, was Mike Sullivan. Now, he'll get the chance to reunite with the coach under whom he won two championships. In addition to playing for the Penguins, Sheary has played for three other NHL franchises. The Pens dealt him to the Buffalo Sabres before the 2018-2019 campaign, but he would return to Pittsburgh the following season at the trade deadline. After his second stint with the Penguins, he joined the Washington Capitals. He played three seasons in Washington, D.C. before landing with the Tampa Bay Lightning, where he spent the past two years. Over his 593 career games, he's compiled 124 goals and 143 assists for 267 points. His best NHL season came during the 2016-2017 campaign, his second in the league. He scored 23 goals and added 30 assists for 53 points in 61 regular-season games.
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