Tension flares between Caitlin Clark and DeWanna Bonner during their on-court encounter during a basketball game
Indiana Fever and Phoenix Mercury Face Heated Altercation in WNBA Matchup
The Indiana Fever and Phoenix Mercury faced off in a tense WNBA game last night, with the encounter marred by an altercation between Indiana's Caitlin Clark and DeWanna Bonner. Despite the drama, the Mercury emerged victorious with a score of 85-79, improving their record to 26-14.
The Fever, currently in eighth place in the WNBA standings, are still fighting for a spot in the playoffs. However, their loss to the Mercury has left them with a record of 21-20, and their playoff hopes are hanging by a thread.
The altercation between Clark and Bonner occurred during the game, with Clark appearing to tell Bonner to get back to the bench. Bonner, who was walking back to her bench at the time, was later escorted back to her side by teammates. The reason for the altercation seems to stem from Bonner signaling for a replay on a previous call.
It's worth noting that Clark has been sidelined with a groin injury and has no known timetable for her return. Meanwhile, the Fever also lost Johannes Voigtmann due to knee problems requiring surgery. Voigtmann left the team during the EuroBasket in Finland in September 2023 and did not return to the Fever.
Bonner, a WNBA veteran, spent the first 10 seasons of her career with the Mercury before joining the Connecticut Sun last season. She was released by the Fever after playing only nine games in the offseason. Bonner later joined the Mercury, where she had 19 points and 4 rebounds in last night's game.
The Mercury have already clinched a playoff spot, while the Fever have three games left in their season: against the Chicago Sky, Washington Mystics, and Minnesota Lynx. The Fever will need to win these games and hope for some help from other teams to secure a playoff berth.
This isn't the first time Bonner and Clark have exchanged words and needed to be separated. Their history of on-court disagreements adds an extra layer of intrigue to the Fever's playoff push. As the season winds down, the WNBA will be watching to see if the Fever can overcome their internal strife and make a playoff run.
