WNBA Thursday: History Made in Indy, Aces Stay Hot, and Liberty Bounce Back

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Thursday night’s four-game WNBA slate was absolute appointment television. We witnessed a historic, never-before-seen statistical masterpiece in an overtime thriller, a clinic in deep-range shooting out west, and statement double-digit victories by two of the league’s top contenders.

Here is everything you need to know about a wild Thursday night of hoops.

Indiana Fever 114, Chicago Sky 106 (OT)

Venue: Gainbridge Fieldhouse (Indianapolis, IN)

The Headline: Aliyah Boston (34 points, 12 rebounds) and Caitlin Clark (32 points, 7 rebounds, 10 assists) rewrote the WNBA history books, becoming the first pair of teammates in league history to record 30-point double-doubles in the same game.

How It Happened

Indiana (7-5) looked poised for a blowout early, racing out to a 19-point first-half lead behind a 27-14 opening frame. However, the Sky roared back. Sydney Taylor (30 points) was practically unconscious, hitting 9 of her first 10 shots to spark a massive 39-point third quarter for Chicago, snatching the lead away from the Fever.

The drama peaked in the final seconds of regulation. Leading by five, the Fever coughed up a costly inbounds pass with 5.1 seconds left. Chicago’s Skylar Diggins had 21 points, including the clutch game-tying bucket. made them pay, burying a dramatic, game-tying three-pointer to force overtime at 98-98.

In the extra period, Indiana’s discipline and historical duo took over. The Fever outscored Chicago (4-9) 16-8 in OT, locking down the paint while the Sky shot a miserable 1-for-8 from the field.

Team Milestone: The Fever set a new franchise record for the most points scored in a single game with 114. They also flexed incredible discipline from the charity stripe, hitting their first 23 consecutive free throws.

New York Liberty 104, Atlanta Dream 90

Venue: Gateway Center Arena (College Park, GA)

The Headline: New York’s high-octane offense proved to be too much for Atlanta, as the Liberty used a balanced attack to hand the Dream just their fourth loss of the season.

How It Happened

Coming off a physical stretch of games, the Liberty (9-4) brought their standard championship-level execution to Georgia. New York’s ball movement shredded Atlanta’s defensive rotations, allowing the Liberty to comfortably surpass the 100-point mark. While the Dream (8-4) tried to counter behind their physical frontcourt, New York’s perimeter depth and transition scoring pushed the game out of reach in the second half, securing a definitive 14-point road win.

Satou Sabally led the Liberty with 19 points off the bench. She had plenty of help from Breanna Stewart (19 points, 11 rebounds), Jonquel Jones (16 points, 10 rebounds), Marine Johannes (17 points) and rookie Pauline Astier (16 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists).

Dallas Wings 85, Phoenix Mercury 70

Venue: College Park Center (Arlington, TX)

The Headline: Dallas bounced back from their midweek shellacking by dominating the glass and locking down the perimeter against a struggling Mercury squad.

How It Happened

After getting run off the floor by Minnesota on Tuesday, the Wings (8-4) took out their frustration on Phoenix (4-10). The blueprint was simple: paint dominance. Dallas stifled the Mercury’s half-court offense, holding them to just 70 points. The victory keeps Dallas firmly entrenched in the top tier of the standings, while Phoenix drops their ninth game of a frustrating campaign.

Paige Bueckers was deadly, shooting 14-20 from the field for a game-high 31 points. Azzi Fudd and Jessica Shepard each had 17 points apiece. The Wings did have a miserable night shooting 22% from three-point land. The Mercury just could never get on track, finishing the night shooting 39% from the field.

Las Vegas Aces 105, Portland Fire 89

Venue: Moda Center (Portland, OR)

The Headline: Chelsea Gray put on an absolute shooting clinic, knocking down a career-high nine 3-pointers en route to a 29-point night to guide the Aces to their fifth consecutive victory.

How It Happened

The expansion Portland Fire (6-8) had absolutely no answers for the reigning champions. Las Vegas (9-3) put on an offensive exhibition, catalyzed by Chelsea Gray’s blistering night from beyond the arc. When Portland tried to stretch their defense out to respect Gray’s gravity, it opened up yawning lanes inside for A’ja Wilson, who cruised to another dominant 32-point performance.

The Aces also got massive structural help from their supporting cast, with Jackie Young (18 points, 10 assists) and NaLyssa Smith (12 points, 10 rebounds) both securing their first double-doubles of the season.

League Standings Update

Following a high-scoring Thursday, the WNBA landscape continues to solidify:

The Elite Tier: Minnesota (10-2) and Las Vegas (9-3) remain the standard-bearers, with New York (9-4) right on their heels.
The Commish Cup Hunt: With their victory, the Indiana Fever move to 3-1 in Commissioner’s Cup play, putting themselves in prime position within the Eastern Conference in-season tournament ladder.