Sports
Stifling Caitlin Clark is Connecticut Sun's Path to WNBA Playoff Victory Over Indiana Fever
Much of the attention in Game 1 of the first-round WNBA playoff series between the Indiana Fever and the Connecticut Sun centered around a pair of incidents involving Caitlin Clark and DiJonai Carrington.
In previous matchups between the Sun and Fever, things have gotten physical, and Sunday’s game was no different as the two exchanged seemingly inadvertent eye pokes. Clark got hit near her right eye by Carrington in the first quarter, and then in the fourth frame, Clark returned the favor, accidentally knocking out Carrington’s contact.
It was all part of a frustrating day for Clark, who finished with just 11 points in 36 minutes of play in a 93-69 loss to the Sun. The unanimous AP WNBA Rookie of the Year’s dissatisfaction with her own performance bubbled to the surface in the third quarter when she slapped a chair on the bench in anger.
“We didn’t play well, didn’t play to the level we’re capable of playing,” Clark said. “We didn’t shoot the ball like we’re capable of. We’re capable of winning this game.”
And of the exchanges with Carrington, Clark said: “Got me pretty good in the eye. I don’t think it affected me, honestly. I felt like I got good shots, they just didn’t go down. Obviously, a tough time for that to happen.”
No, Clark wasn’t going to blame her abysmal playoff debut on some tough guarding from an opponent.
Besides, if Clark had held Carrington liable for why she shot 4-of-17 from the floor and 2-of-13 from 3-point land, she would’ve been picking the wrong Connecticut player to hold accountable.
For the majority of the game, the player guarding Clark and making things extremely difficult for her was 37-year-old DeWanna Bonner, who used her combination of two things that Clark doesn’t have—experience and length—to make the rookie star’s first playoff game an absolute nightmare.
In the first half, Clark went 0-of-3 from the floor when Bonner was guarding her. When ESPN’s Holly Rowe relayed that stat to Bonner during an on-court interview, she had an appropriate and memorable reaction.
“Let me knock on some wood real quick,” Bonner said, bending over and tapping the court while letting out a laugh. “Because she’s a great player. I know she’s going to come out in the second half ready to go, so I got to key in.”
Clark wasn’t all that better in the second half though, going 3-of-8 from the floor with two turnovers. The play of Bonner was a big reason why.
For much of her career, the Auburn product has been underrated as a defender, making an All-WNBA Defensive Team just once—the second team in 2015. But this season, Bonner is posting a career-high in defensive win shares with 2.5, which is fifth-best in the WNBA. Her defensive rating of 92.6 is the second-best she’s posted in her 15-year career and is 11th-best in the league this season.
The part of Bonner’s defense that hasn’t been undervalued over the course of her career is her versatility and savviness. She’s guarded all sorts of players, from slashing wings to bruising centers to sharpshooting guards. Clark was just her latest victim.
The 6-foot-4 Bonner had a highlight-worthy block on Clark as she drove to the rim in the second quarter. She finished the game with two blocks in addition to 22 points, six rebounds and five assists. Alyssa Thomas posted a triple-double for the Sun in the win, but if there was an MVP of Game 1, the honor should go to Bonner.
That Connecticut had Bonner guard Clark was a surprise to many. In the Sun’s previous four matchups with the Fever, Carrington shouldered that assignment for the majority of those games. But when the Fever finally beat the Sun 84-80 in their last meeting behind Clark’s 19 points and five assists, Connecticut knew it had to attempt another strategy.
“They beat us last time, so we had to do something different,” Bonner said. “It was nothing behind it. They got two great guards, so somebody’s got to step up and play defense, that’s the only way to beat them, so I just took on the challenge. She’s a great player. I know next game she’s going to come out firing.”
Indeed, that’s the task at hand now for Bonner and the Sun: Can they stifle Clark again to take the series-clinching win?
On Wednesday evening, we’ll find out.
Sports
Ryan Erisman wins 3rd title on final day of U.S. Swimming Championships
Jun 6, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, UNITED STATES; (From left) Ryan Erisman, Luka Mijatovic and Rex Maurer pose with their medals after the men’s 400 meter freestyle at the Toyota National Championships swimming meet at Indiana University Natatorium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images Ryan Erisman, a 19-year-old Cal swimmer, completed a strong week at the U.S. Swimming Championships in Irvine, Calif., by winning his third national title, this time in the 800-meter freestyle, on the final day of the meet Saturday.
After winning the 200-meter freestyle and 400-meter individual medley, Erisman finished the meet with the second fastest 800 free in U.S. history at 7.43:53, shaving almost two seconds off his personal best.
He trailed William Mulgrew, who finished second with a time of 7:45.21, by 88 hundredths of a second at the halfway point of the race before chasing him down. He entered with the seventh-best 800 time by an American swimmer but now trails just Bobby Finke (7:38.67 in 2023).
Luka Mijatovic (7:46.57) came in third place in the race.
The meet concluded with the 50-meter women’s and men’s freestyle races, both of which were won by the current American record holders.
Gretchen Walsh comfortably won the women’s race by nearly a half-second with a time of 23.60, just five hundredths off her current world record. Anna Moesch (24.05) finished second, while Liberty Clark (24.28) rounded out the podium.
On the men’s side, Caeleb Dressel, 29, continued his comeback with a strong showing, following up his 100-meter free title with a similarly comfortable 50-meter victory to the one Walsh delivered.
He posted his best 50-meter time since 2022 and the third-fastest in the world this year at 21.35, well ahead of Quintin McCarty (21.75) and Nikita Sheremet (21.76), who edged out Brendan Whitfield (21.78) to make the podium.
Virginia swimmer Maximus Williamson defended the NCAA championship he won earlier this year in the 200-meter IM by winning the American championship with a time of 1:56.40, pulling away over each of the final three legs after he sat in third after the opening butterfly lap.
Owen McDonald, who finished second to Williamson at the NCAA championships, again came in behind him at 1:57.68. Kieran Smith (1:58.36) finished third.
Alex Walsh won her own title shortly before her sister Gretchen, running away with the women’s 200-meter IM title with a 2:08.59 title, a full 1.5 seconds ahead of Campbell Chase (2:10.09) and Teagen O’Dell (2:10.20).
Katie Ledecky, the world record holder who has swum the 24 fastest 1500-meter freestyle races in U.S. women’s history, elected to skip the U.S. Championships to prepare for the Pan Pacific Championships later this month.
That allowed Katie Grimes to win the 1500 title with a time of 15:55.69 in the first time she raced at this distance since the 2024 Paris Olympics, where she finished 10th. Kate Hurst (16:04.46) finished second and Gena Jorgenson (16:12.73) came in third.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Report: Sparks trade 5-time All-Star Kelsey Plum to Mercury
Sparks guard Kelsey Plum (10) drives against Mercury guard Monique Akoa Makani (8) during a game at the Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, on June 13, 2026. The Los Angeles Sparks made a move ahead of Sunday afternoon’s trade deadline, dealing five-time All-Star guard Kelsey Plum to the Phoenix Mercury for guard Monique Akoa Makani, a first-round draft pick in 2027 and a second-rounder in 2028, ESPN reported late Saturday night.
Plum, who turns 32 on Aug. 24, has not played since June 21 because of a left leg injury. She is averaging career highs of 23.9 points and 6.4 assists per game, but she has played in only 12 contests because of injuries in her ninth season.
She missed three games in late May/early June because of an ankle issue, then played in six games before the lower leg injury.
For her career, Plum averages 15.5 points, 4.4 assists, 2.6 rebounds and 30.0 minutes in 290 regular-season games (248 starts) in eight-plus seasons. She missed the entire 2020 season because of an Achilles injury, then won the WNBA Sixth Player of the Year award the next season.
She also averages 17.4 points, 4.0 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 33.7 minutes in 35 playoff games (28 starts) while with the Aces. She was part of league championships with Las Vegas in 2022 and 2023.
Plum has been selected for the All-Star Game for five consecutive seasons but was unable to play this year.
The San Antonio Stars (now Las Vegas Aces) selected Plum with the first overall pick of the 2017 WNBA Draft out of the University of Washington.
Makani, 25, is averaging 9.7 points, 2.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.2 steals and 23.8 minutes in 18 games (15 starts) in her second season with the Mercury. In her two years in the league, Makani averages 8.3 points, 2.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 22.2 minutes in 59 games (55 starts).
The Sparks are 10-17, 5.5 games behind the eighth-place New York Liberty for the last playoff berth. The Mercury are 11-19.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Cardinals lose DT PJ Mustipher (foot) for season
Dec 21, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals defensive lineman PJ Mustipher (79) against the Atlanta Falcons at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images The Arizona Cardinals placed defensive tackle PJ Mustipher on injured reserve on Saturday because of a foot injury, meaning he will miss the entire 2026 season.
The Cardinals also placed defensive back Jaden Davis on IR due to an undisclosed injury sustained during the team’s second padded practice of training camp.
In corresponding moves, Arizona signed defensive lineman Brodric Martin, 27, and safety Quinton Newsome, 25.
Mustipher, 26, made 32 tackles in 15 games as a reserve last season with the Cardinals. The nose tackle played on 30% of the defensive snaps (300) and 20% on special teams (78).
He was on the Arizona practice squad for the 2024 campaign. He also played in four games for the New Orleans Saints in 2023, making four tackles.
Davis, 25, was a seventh-round pick by the Cardinals in the 2024 NFL Draft.
–Field Level Media
Ryan Erisman wins 3rd title on final day of U.S. Swimming Championships
Report: Sparks trade 5-time All-Star Kelsey Plum to Mercury
