May 22, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Dream guard Rhyne Howard (10) gets in the face of Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) in the first half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Caitlin Clark’s Thumbs Up to Rhyne Howard Sums Up Fever-Dream Clash

Originally posted on Indiana Fever on SI
By Rosalina Lee | Last updated May 22, 2025 11:41 PM ET

The Indiana Fever vs Atlanta Dream showdown Thursday was an on-court battle royal—in a good way. Indiana walked into State Farm Arena with a chip on their shoulders after Atlanta eked out a one-point win in Gainbridge Fieldhouse Tuesday.

The Dream was not going to let Indiana come to their house and give anything away, which they proved through feverish defense.

Atlanta guard Rhyne Howard was tasked to cover Indiana’s Caitlin Clark throughout much of the contest. Between Howard’s shifty footwork and Clark’s deep shooting range, the competitive tension could be felt from the jump. The two had a moment of on-court chippiness in the first quarter via a spirited exchange following a foul on Howard, adding a layer of intensity to an already physical game.

Caitlin Clark and Rhyne Howard got into a shoving match pic.twitter.com/j5anoTHQ0M
— WNBA Got Game (@wnbagotgame) May 23, 2025

But it didn’t end there between the two guards. As the teams were heading into halftime, Howard passed Clark and had a few words on her way to the locker room. Clark, who again showed she was not intimidated, locked eyes with Howard and cheekily gave her a thumbs up.

At the half, Rhyne was yapping at CC pic.twitter.com/1hrel1CyDj
— Em (@FeverDreams22) May 23, 2025

Clark clearly showed she wasn't going to back away from the challenge, and the same went for her Fever squad, as they stuck it out to outlast Atlanta en route to a 81-76 win. And Indiana proving it can win ugly was a test passed early in the season for a team with championship aspirations.

Of course, fans of the Fever will hope to see the team thrive a bit more going forward when it comes to offensive flow. However, Clark and company get a thumbs up for toughness in the victory over Howard and the Dream.

This article first appeared on Indiana Fever on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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