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The Chicago Sky entered Sunday with their postseason hopes already fading. Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever finished the job. Clark produced 37 points, 10 assists and a career-high eight 3-pointers as Indiana overwhelmed Chicago 113-90 at Wintrust Arena. The loss dropped the Sky to 15-23 and officially eliminated them from playoff contention.
It will be the third consecutive season in which Chicago fails to reach the postseason. The Washington Mystics and New York Liberty secured playoff berths Sunday, closing the remaining path for the Sky. For Chicago, the elimination was painful enough. Watching Clark deliver the decisive blow made it sting even more.
Fever rivalry has become painfully one-sided
Indiana’s victory was its ninth consecutive win over Chicago dating back to the 2024 season. The rivalry once appeared positioned to become one of the league’s defining matchups. Clark and Angel Reese entered the WNBA together, and their first meetings generated enormous television audiences and national interest.
The Chicago Sky are officially eliminated from WNBA playoff contention. pic.twitter.com/IXEiMctzmQ
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) August 24, 2026The teams have since traveled in opposite directions. Indiana has built a playoff roster around Clark, Boston and Mitchell. Chicago traded Reese to Atlanta before the 2026 season and again finds itself outside the postseason field.
Reese, in a cruel twist for the Sky, clinched the first playoff berth of her career with the Dream one day before Chicago’s elimination became official.
Sunday offered another stark illustration of the gap. Chicago trailed by only four points at halftime but had no answer once Clark took control. Indiana scored 64 second-half points and made 18 3-pointers in the game.
Mitchell finished with 30 points and six triples, while Natasha Cloud led Chicago with 16 points.
MORE: Aliyah Boston delivers perfect reaction to Caitlin Clark’s career night
Chicago faces another difficult offseason
The Sky still have six regular-season games remaining, but those contests will be about evaluation rather than playoff positioning.
Chicago must determine which players fit its long-term direction and how to build a sustainable offense. The Sky’s inability to keep pace with elite scoring teams has remained a glaring problem throughout the season. Indiana, meanwhile, improved to 25-14 and continued its pursuit of a top-four seed.
The Fever already have clinched a playoff spot. Their attention has shifted from qualifying to determining how favorable their first-round path can become. Clark’s latest performance demonstrated why no opponent will be eager to draw Indiana.
She shot 8-of-12 from beyond the arc and recorded her fifth career game with at least 30 points and 10 assists. The Fever pulled away for a 23-point victory despite Boston being sidelined. Chicago’s season will continue for a few more weeks, but its postseason pursuit is over. Clark ensured there would be no dramatic escape.
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