Clark (30) has most complete game in Fever loss

INDIANAPOLIS — Caitlin Clark sees the progress — even as the losses and frustration mount.

On Tuesday night, against the WNBA’s only other one-win team, the Indiana Fever rookie strung together her most complete game yet by scoring a season-best 30 points, dishing out 6 assists and grabbing 5 rebounds with 3 steals and 3 blocks, despite losing 88-82 to the Los Angeles Sparks.

She became the first rookie to record 30 points, 3 blocks and 3 steals in a game in WNBA history. Her 30 points were the third most by a rookie in Fever history; only Tamika Catchings scored more in her rookie season (32, twice).

“I think I just played with an aggressive mindset,” Clark said. “I think that was the biggest thing — to play downhill the best I could. We did some good things and then we just kind of shot ourselves in the foot.”

It has been that kind of season so far for the former Iowa star and her new teammates.

They’ve lost seven of eight, but part of the problem has been a brutal schedule in which the Fever have played five games against last season’s top three teams and eight regular-season contests in 14 days, leaving little time for practice — or rest.

And it has taken a toll even though Clark appears to be getting stronger by the game.

“Tonight she was able to get to the foul line a lot, which supplemented her offense, but I thought we did a pretty good job [defensively],” Sparks coach Curt Miller said after facing Clark for the second time in four days. “Obviously, the point total tonight again was bigger but, you know, seven made baskets tonight.”

Clark shot 7-for-16, including 3-for-10 from the 3-point line, and made 13 of her 15 free throws.

The game featured the top two picks in last month’s WNBA draft: Clark and Sparks forward Cameron Brink. Brink finished with 3 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists.

But it was veterans Kia Nurse and Aari McDonald who stole the show. Nurse scored 22 points, while McDonald added a season-high 21 points and four assists to help the Sparks (2-4) rally for a victory three days after losing to Indiana.

Clark has now lost all three of her home games, though the impact she has had remains evident everywhere she goes.

The Fever drew a near-sellout crowd of 16,013 on a Tuesday night, a crowd that included former Indianapolis Colts receiver T.Y. Hilton, Indiana Pacers stars Tyrese Haliburton, Bennedict Mathurin and Andrew Nembhard and current NFL players Shaquille Leonard and Nick Cross.

What they saw was a wide array of emotions.

Fans leapt to their feet on Clark’s 3-pointer from the right wing just 66 seconds into the game. She wowed the crowd with nifty passes, crafty steals and even two first-half blocks. With her sixth assist of the night, Clark became the first player in WNBA history with 100 points and 50 assists in their first eight career games.

She also made the home fans wince with three first-half turnovers, and when a frustrated Clark drew a technical foul with 2.7 seconds left in the first quarter, coach Christie Sides even pulled her star rookie toward the free throw line for a discussion between quarters.

And once, between McDonald’s free throw attempts, the Sparks guard mistakenly rushed to defend Clark.

“I think she was just trying to pick me up, I don’t think she realized she had another because of the technical,” Clark said. “She didn’t say anything, just a kind person, honestly.”

At times, the game was downright ugly. While the Fever shot just 38.2% from the field, the Sparks committed 19 turnovers, though they made a season-best 14 3s.

Indiana erased a 37-32 halftime deficit by starting the third quarter on an 11-0 run to take a 43-37 lead. It didn’t last. Los Angeles eventually responded with a decisive 28-8 run that turned a 55-48 third-quarter deficit into a 76-63 lead in the fourth quarter, and the Fever never recovered.

Dearica Hamby had 17 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists for Los Angeles.

Aliyah Boston fought through foul trouble to add 17 points and 6 rebounds for the Fever. Indiana guard Kelsey Mitchell had 15 points.

“I think everybody’s physical with me. They get away with things, you know, probably other people don’t,” Clark said. “It’s tough, but it’s a very physical game. That’s just professional basketball.”

The Fever host Seattle on Thursday in their second straight home game, while the Sparks visit Chicago on Thursday, the second stop on a three-game road trip.

ESPN Stats & Information and The Associated Press contributed to this report.