Injuries have posed some adversity for the Fever this season. And while they headed into the Cup Final without starting guard Caitlin Clark, who’s been battling a groin injury, Indiana rallied around their core of old and new. “Learning to play without her [Caitlin], learning to make big plays in tough moments on both ends of the floor, is important, because that’s going to pay dividends down the stretch of the season for us,” head coach Stephanie White said postgame.

Despite being down 20-12 at the end of the first quarter, Indiana had no problem bouncing back. “We know that they’re a great team and they were going to go on runs, and so for us it’s about containing those runs and then going on our own,” Aliyah Boston told Tabitha Turner-Wilkins during her sideline interview.

Indiana turned it up in the second period, igniting an 18-0 run in the final eight minutes of the second, outscoring the Lynx 20-7 in the quarter. Defense was the lynchpin to their Tuesday night win. During the presentation of the Commissioner’s Cup trophy, Stephanie White told Michael Grady, “Our defensive energy when we got into that second quarter was outstanding. Our sense of urgency, our detailed orientation on the defensive end of the floor, and it allowed us to get up and down and do what we’re best at.”  

The Fever played a resilient game and put out an entire team effort to snag the dub, but at the end of the day, there’s only one Commissioner’s Cup MVP. Natasha Howard took home the honor, with a 16-point and 12-rebound double-double. “Tash is a pro that flies under the radar. She’s won on every level, and I think we have to give her her flowers a little bit more.” Kelsey Mitchell told reporters postgame.  

Howard wasn’t the only one cooking from the low post. Aliyah Boston’s impact was felt everywhere through her 12 points, 11 rebounds and six assists. And the Fever’s guards were on point from the perimeter. Sophie Cunningham put up 13 points and seven rebounds. Kelsey Mitchell dropped 12 points and three assists. Aari McDonald posted 12 points and three rebounds.

After an offseason that saw the organization build out a competitive roster, the Fever entered the season primed to compete for a title in October. While they currently sit in 8th place in the League standings with an 8-8 record, the Fever are taking the Commissioner’s Cup win to the bank, investing in that momentum heading into the halfway point of the season. The past three winners of the Commissioner’s Cup have all made it to the WNBA Finals since the tournament’s inception. And the Fever are vying to keep the streak alive.

“If anything, tonight what I learned is they have what it takes. I mean, they played five of their last six games on the road coming in here. And if you can win games on the road like they did, in an environment like they won in tonight, the sky’s really the limit. This is a team that’s starting to get their confidence, they’re showing their depth,” LaChina Robinson said via ESPN.

Photos via Getty Images.

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The Sparks have announced that they will be retiring Candace Parker’s jersey on June 29 at Crypto.com Arena as the team faces the Chicago Sky. Parker will join the elite company of Lisa Leslie and Penny Toler, No. 9 and No. 11 respectively, as the third-ever Spark to have her jersey honored.

Parker won a title with the Sparks in 2016 and was named Finals MVP of the series against the Lynx. She holds the franchise’s career assist record with 1,331.

“To see my jersey hanging in the rafters amongst other legends is truly an honor.  This moment is not just about me — it’s about my family, my teammates, and the incredible support from the LA Sparks organization and fans,” says Parker in an official press release. “I’m grateful to my parents, who believed in me every step of the way, to my brothers who still are my heroes and to my wife and kids, who inspire me every day. The Staples Center (now Crypto.com Arena) raised Lailaa and this was her playground growing up. Holding the record for assists reminds me that basketball is never just about individual success — it’s about elevating others and being a part of something bigger than yourself. This jersey represents all the moments, all the connections, and all the love that got me here.”

Congrats legend.

The post LA Sparks Will Retire Candace Parker’s No. 3 Jersey appeared first on SLAM.