While some thought there was a chance that the Indiana Fever would come into Thursday’s game against the Las Vegas Aces a tad sluggish, they hit the ground running in a big way.
The Fever are fresh off an WNBA Commissioner’s Cup championship win over the Minnesota Lynx even without star guard Caitlin Clark. They are also fresh off a postgame celebration that seemed to extend well into the night, worrying fans that there would be a bit of a hangover on Thursday evening.
However, Indiana quickly silenced those concerns, as they went into halftime with a 46-24 lead, getting a tremendous showing from recently signed guard, Aari McDonald.
Through her first 21 minutes of action, McDonald did a bit of everything, recording six points, three assists and also sporting a +/- rating of +22.
She also earned a new fan in Indiana Pacers superstar Tyrese Haliburton. The hero of the Pacers’ NBA Finals run this past season took to X to express just how much of a fan he is.
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“I need a Aari McDonald jersey,” wrote Haliburton.
The Olympic Gold medalist and two-time NBA All-Star has been a frequent supporter of Clark and the Fever, receiving the same treatment from Clark whom at one point was the Pacers’ good luck charm during the playoffs.
As for McDonald, she has the epitome of an underdog story. She went from being a temporary player for the Fever—thanks to the WNBA’s emergency hardship exception and injuries—to eventually being given a full-time roster spot.
Without Clark available, she has picked up the slack in a big way and has also caught the attention of those around the WNBA.
