Caitlin Clark effect leads Fever to defining win over Liberty 

Napheesa Collier has been the WNBA's best player this season, but Clark looked the part against the Liberty, the league's best team.

At one point, Clark scored nine points in 38 seconds. She even had Breanna Stewart of the Liberty so impressed that the two shared a brief moment running back down the court.

Yet, no one should be surprised by Clark or the Fever. Despite their record, Indiana has the fourth-best point differential in the WNBA, which is now plus six, trailing only New York, Minnesota and Atlanta. 

That's without Clark suiting up for half of the games. Certainly, Indiana would have a better record had the injury not occurred. 

Still, in Clark's first game back, the Fever made a statement to the rest of the WNBA. They are legitimate title contenders. At least they can be.

Clark gets the headlines, but Aliyah Boston has been stellar this season, and added a double-double (10 points, 11 rebounds) in addition to a 22-point effort from Kelsey Mitchell. 

Indiana made 17 triples and shot 49 percent from deep. New York, which set the record for three-pointers in a game (19) twice this season, was held to 21 percent from beyond the arc.

The Fever had 11 blocks/steals and forced 11 turnovers. There is room for improvement, but that is also without DeWanna Bonner, one of the best defenders in the WNBA. 

Maybe we should be surprised by Clark's 32-point effort, especially since she missed the past five games. Yet, fans have come to expect amazing from the Iowa legend, and she delivered once again.

Even LeBron James took notice. It would be hard not to. Yet, this win told us as much about the Fever as it did Caitlin Clark. 

We already knew she was a superstar and the most exciting player in the WNBA. What we didn't know was whether the Fever could be considered a legitimate title contender this season.

Saturday answered that question in the affirmative.