INDIANAPOLIS — There is a distinct, rhythmic roar that echoes through Gainbridge Fieldhouse when the Indiana Fever find their transition groove, and the Golden State Valkyries found themselves squarely on the wrong end of it.
Behind a masterful balancing act from their cornerstone tandem of Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston, the Fever weathered a fierce second-quarter storm to secure a hard-fought 90-82 victory over the WNBA’s sophomore franchise. The win pushes Indiana to a promising 4-2 start for the 2026 season—their best opening six-game stretch since 2012, the year where they won the championship.
Caitlin Clark in the win over Golden State:
22 PTS
4 3PM
9 AST— Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever) May 23, 2026
For a moment, it looked like the Valkyries were going to pull off a massive upset. Lead by the veteran savvy of Tiffany Hayes (19 points) and a brilliant spark from rookie sensation Kaitlyn Chen (18 points off the bench), Golden State staged a relentless 26-18 second-quarter run. They walked into the locker room at halftime holding a comfortable seven-point cushion and all the momentum.
But the third quarter belonged entirely to Indiana.
Adjusting to Golden State’s suffocating defensive traps, Clark began carving up the perimeter, scoring eight points in the frame while dishing out laser-focused assists. Meanwhile, Boston anchored the interior, punishing the Valkyries in the paint. Indiana flipped the script with a crushing 29-17 third-quarter surge, establishing a lead they would never relinquish.
Inside the Box Score
| Player | Points | Rebounds | Assists | Key Stat |
| Caitlin Clark (IND) | 22 | 2 | 9 | 4-of-9 from three-point range |
| Aliyah Boston (IND) | 20 | 16 | 3 | Labeled 42nd career double-double |
| Kelsey Mitchell (IND) | 19 | 0 | 3 | Flawless 11-of-11 from the free-throw line |
| Tiffany Hayes (GSV) | 19 | 2 | 2 | Shot 7-of-13 from the field |
| Kaitlyn Chen (GSV) | 18 | 1 | 0 | Provided instant offense in 19 minutes |
Rewriting History
The night wasn’t just a win in the standings; it was another milestone evening for Indiana’s foundation pieces.
With her bruising 20-point, 16-rebound performance, Aliyah Boston secured her 42nd career double-double, tying legend Elena Delle Donne for the 34th most in WNBA history. Simultaneously, Clark’s 9-assist showcase inches her closer to smashing Sue Bird’s historic record as the fastest player to hit 1,000 points and 500 career assists.
“Yeah, it was definitely really physical, too. Um, and they’re a really good team and they’re really good defensively and we battled and I thought we played really great defense, especially in the second half and um thought we got off to a good start, then we kind of dropped a little bit and then the second half was really really good and kind of powered us through.” Clark said postgame. “But for me personally, like it was definitely good to, you know, see my first two shots go in and then kind of go from there.”
When the Valkyries intentionally fouled late to stop the clock, Kelsey Mitchell put on a masterclass in ice-cold execution. Mitchell went a perfect 11-for-11 from the charity stripe, shutting the door on any hopes of a Golden State comeback.
Game highlights;
What’s Next
The Valkyries (3-2) will have another shot at the Fever as they face them on the 28th of May at the Bay Area for a 4-game homestand.
