Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark is known for her fiery competitive nature. It was on full display in the season opener against Angel Reese and the Chicago Sky, when Clark and Reese were both involved in a heated confrontation that quickly went viral and was the topic of discussion amongst several sports networks days after the incident.
Clark found herself in another viral moment with the Dream's veteran Rhyne Howard during Thursday night's rematch between the Fever and the Atlanta Dream. A foul called towards the end of the first quarter eventually led to a Clark shoulder to the chest of Howard at half court, which quickly escalated to a scuffle on the open floor. It was clear at that point that Clark wouldn't go back to the bench without getting the last word in, shouting, "I'm not scared of you," to Howard.
Howard tried to talk to the referee after the incident, but luckily for the Fever, no fouls were upgraded. This was crucial for Clark because she played several minutes throughout the entire game, and her foul tally spiked quickly, having four fouls deep into the fourth quarter when the game score was tight.
Clark-Howard Scuffle Led to Thunderous Run by Fever
Some words and shoving continued throughout the game between both competitors, and the drama-filled game got even tighter down the stretch. WNBA fans took notice of this confrontation and ran to social media to express their thoughts as Clark was clearly frustrated with calls that had taken place early on in the game.
"Everyone wants to bully Caitlin, but she's got that mamba mentality," one person said.
The heated exchange between both stars may have ultimately favored Clark and the Fever. The team was trailing by 8 points when it took place, and a quick momentum swing happened as the Fever went on a 12-point run to take the lead and would eventually go on to win the game. Clark is the pulse of the team, and her creating a spark, within reason, is proven to get the entire team back on track.
Clark's competitiveness and strong aggressiveness got her into some trouble last season having tallied six technical fouls almost causing her to miss some time late in the year, a time the Fever would have needed her the most. After the poor display the team put out against Atlanta earlier in the week, Clark knew her team needed a spark to wake up, and she delivered just that.
The Clark-sparked momentum ultimately led to the Fever's second win of the season, with the team outlasting Atlanta 81-76.