Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever are gearing up to face the Connecticut Sun in Game 2 of their best-of-three series on Wednesday night, aiming to avoid elimination. In her playoff debut, Clark struggled with her shooting, managing only 11 points on 4-of-17 shooting but dished out eight assists. She encountered an accidental eye injury early in the game, when DiJonai Carrington poked her eye. Clark emphasized that the poke was unintentional and despite the discomfort, she remained focused on the game.

The 2021 Associated Press unanimous WNBA Rookie of the Year highlighted that the eye poke did not significantly impact her performance, except for a minor black eye. Clark acknowledged the need to elevate her game to extend their postseason run and is ready to take on the challenge of pushing for a Game 3 that would take place in Indianapolis on Friday. She expressed confidence in her team’s ability to compete and emphasized their potential to secure a victory against the Sun.

Despite a tough loss in the previous game, Clark and her rookie counterparts have notably boosted viewership and attendance for the WNBA this season. The game where the Fever played garnered an average of 1.8 million viewers, marking it as the most-watched playoff game in the WNBA since the 2000 Finals. This significant viewership trend was mirrored in the ratings records set by six different league television partners throughout the year, all featuring games involving the Fever.

Clark’s impact transcended the court, as Indiana led the league in attendance both at home and on the road this season. The Fever attracted an average of 17,036 fans at home games and over 15,000 supporters when playing away. Other teams even relocated their games to larger venues to accommodate the influx of fans when facing the Fever. This surge in attendance and viewership underscores the compelling influence of Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever in the WNBA landscape this season.