Indiana Fever's Stephanie White was not a happy manager coming out of the preseason clash against the Dallas Wings. The Wings defeated the Fever 95–80 on Thursday in a game where the usual offensive stars shone.

However, White expressed concerns about a rather weak defensive effort. "I thought our urgency wasn’t there," White said post-game, per reporter Scott Agness.

"I feel like we were disconnected on the defensive end of the floor. And then we were standing and watching," she added.

The highly anticipated matchup between Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers did not disappoint in the slightest. The matchup that Stephanie White was expecting from "two of the best young players in the world" delivered.

The Wings had the upper hand from the start of the first quarter itself, going on a 15-2 run. By the second quarter, they led the Fever with 23 points.

Individually, Clark and Bueckers showed exactly why they will be in the running for the league's MVP. Bueckers scored 20 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the field and 4-of-6 from beyond the arc in 20 minutes of play to lead Dallas.

Meanwhile, we saw a different game from CC, who went to the free-throw line 13 times, converting 11 of them. She finished her box score with 21 points on 4-of-6 shooting in 16 minutes.

Apart from the two powerhouses, Azzi Fudd made her debut in the Wings' colours, scoring four points. Fever rookie Raven Johnson scored only three points but was on top for playmaking duties with five assists and five steals.

Over on the veterans' side, Kelsey Mitchell scored a smooth ten points while Maddy Siegrist finished just behind Bueckers with 18 points.

While the Fever need to sort out their defensive issues soon, Clark momentarily gave them a bigger scare to worry about.

Caitlin Clark's brief injury scare against the Wings

CC's first home game since last July ended in a defeat, but it could have been more than that. During the third quarter, she attempted a three-pointer but landed on the foot of Wings player Alanna Smith and appeared to twist her ankle.

Clark walked it off and made two of three free throws after Smith drew a flagrant foul, but the collision ended her night. According to The Athletic, trainers examined Clark on the bench instead of taking her to the locker room.

Thankfully, Clark told the media that she's all good after the game and just landed hard on her kneecap. The 24-year-old’s brief injury scare was concerning, as she played only 13 games the previous season after a series of soft-tissue injuries sidelined her.

With CC finally starting to look like herself again, the Fever ought to focus more on the defensive side of things after White's comments. Raven Johnson's name should be coming up first on the list.

So, what are your first impressions and expectations for both teams heading into the new season? The Fever and the Wings will face off once again on the opening night of the WNBA season on May 9.

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Written by

Joy Bassy

Edited by

Yask Kotak