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INDIANAPOLIS, IN - JULY 18: Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark 22 reaches out to her team mates in the second half of play during a WNBA, Basketball Damen, USA game between the New York Liberty and the Indiana Fever on July 18, 2026 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN. Photo by Jeffrey Brown/Icon Sportswire WNBA: JUL 18 New York Liberty at Indiana Fever EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon071826035
DiJonai Carrington shoved Caitlin Clark and accused her of flopping during Sunday's game between Indiana and Chicago. Clark's answer came on the scoreboard, where she turned in another historic performance.
The two have a history going back to 2024, and the tension carried into this rematch after Carrington was removed from their previous meeting on August 8 for a flagrant foul on Sophie Cunningham.
Carrington later posted “8/23” on social media, appearing to build anticipation for the teams' next meeting. Clark answered by torching the Sky for 37 points on a career-high 8-of-12 shooting from three, leading the Fever to a 113-90 win.
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CHICAGO, IL - AUGUST 08: DiJonai Carrington 7 of the Chicago Sky fouls Sophie Cunningham 8 of the Indiana Fever during the first half on August 8, 2026 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Melissa Tamez Icon Sportswire) WNBA, Basketball Damen, USA AUG 08 Indiana Fever at Chicago Sky EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon260808094
The performance extended her own record for most 30-point, 10-assist games in WNBA history to five, a mark no other player has matched more than once.
The friction started late in the second quarter, when Carrington was called for a foul after blocking Clark's drive. She disagreed with the call, arguing to referee Charles Watson that Clark had flopped, as per Tom Malley of The Mirror.
Roughly 40 seconds later, after Clark hit a three-pointer with Carrington contesting it, Carrington appeared to shoulder barge her as the Fever ran back on defense. Clark simply moved out of the way and continued playing.
The moment was not ruled a foul, but it spread quickly online, with one clip drawing more than 600,000 views.
Carrington's buildup made Clark's response more notable
Carrington's “8/23” post had already created extra anticipation around the rematch. Carrington finished with seven points in 18 minutes while spending much of the night defending Clark.
Clark, meanwhile, finished with 37 points and 10 assists in a dominant Fever victory, according to Grant Young of Women’s Fastbreak on SI.
That gap between the buildup and the result made the outcome notable. Whatever Carrington intended with the “8/23” post, Clark delivered the kind of performance that shifted the focus back to what happened on the court.
Her dismissive hand wave toward Carrington after the late shoulder contact only added another memorable moment to the night.
Whether Carrington's post actually motivated Clark cannot be confirmed either way. What is clear is that Clark let her performance provide the answer with record-breaking scores.
What are your thoughts on Sunday's game between Clark and Carrington? Let us know in the comments.
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Written by
Rudra Dubey