Oh, you “know” we’ve got ourselves a rivalry cookin’ when less than 30 seconds into the first quarter, the energy in the building could power a small city. Let’s break down what went down in the ATL on Thursday night, because the Caitlin Clark vs. Rhyne Howard spark has officially ignited, and folks — it’s electric.
Fresh off a nail-biter that saw the Atlanta Dream edge out the Indiana Fever 91-90 just two days prior, emotions were still running hot when these two squads laced ’em up again. And it didn’t take long for the temperature to rise.
With the clock winding down in the first quarter, Rhyne Howard turned up the defensive pressure, going full-court on Clark like it was Game 7 of the Finals. The moment was tight, the bump was real, and the words? Let’s just say they weren’t for the faint of heart. Clark, never one to back down, dropped the now-iconic “I’m not scared of you,” which might as well be printed on Fever merch by next week.
Teammates quickly stepped in, cooler heads prevailed — for now. But that brief flash of fire? It said everything. These two don’t just want to beat each other. They want “to prove something.”
Clark’s offensive night didn’t exactly match the fireworks of that first-quarter altercation. After lighting up the Dream for 27 points earlier in the week, she was held to just six through three quarters. But don’t let the slow start fool you — when crunch time hit, Clark added five in the fourth to help ignite a massive 10-1 Fever run that flipped the game on its head.
Who led the charge? That’d be Natasha Howard, putting up a monster 26-point performance and playing like someone who’s had “enough” of moral victories. Meanwhile, Rhyne Howard wasn’t shy either — 24 points and some Grade-A grit.
What’s becoming clear is this: Caitlin Clark is not just playing basketball — she’s walking into arenas and “changing the atmosphere.” Two incidents in under a week — first with Angel Reese, now Rhyne Howard — and suddenly the WNBA feels like it has its new drama magnet. And say what you will, but drama “sells”. It’s passion, it’s edge, it’s the kind of storyline that glues fans to screens.
And for better or worse, it’s shining a whole lot of spotlight on both the promise and the pressure that follow Clark wherever she goes.
The Fever don’t get a break either. Up next? The defending champion New York Liberty. High stakes, high pressure, and you better believe high viewership. Whether she’s scoring 30 or sparking debates, Caitlin Clark is giving people something to talk about.
