No. 2 pick NaLyssa Smith suffers ankle injury in loss

INDIANAPOLIS — Rhyne Howard and NaLyssa Smith, the No. 1 and No. 2 picks, have been going toe-to-toe Sunday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. A slew of Kentucky followers got here to observe Howard, a former Wildcats star, and the Atlanta Dream face the Indiana Fever, and the sport was dwelling as much as the hype.

Howard scored a WNBA rookie file 17 factors within the first quarter, and Smith got here alive within the third quarter with 11 factors. However early within the fourth quarter, Smith sustained a proper ankle damage whereas operating again protection and needed to be helped off the ground. The 6-4 ahead didn’t return as Howard carried Atlanta to a 85-79 victory.

Howard poured in a career-high 33 factors on 9-for-18 capturing, whereas Smith totaled 18 factors and 6 rebounds earlier than leaving the sport as a consequence of damage.

The Dream constructed a 13-point lead within the quarter, however the shorthanded Fever rallied to chop the result in one on a Kelsey Mitchell 3-pointer with simply over two minutes left. That was as shut as Indiana would come.

Extra:Indiana Fever’s NaLyssa Smith able to be WNBA’s subsequent large factor, doubters be damned

Mitchell was fouled on a 3-pointer with 47.2 seconds remaining and drained all three free throws to make it a two-point sport after Atlanta rebuilt its lead. Howard responded with two free throws of her personal to assist seal the sport and cap off a outstanding efficiency. The previous Kentucky star had a sea of Wildcats followers readily available to observe her placed on a present.

“We got here all the way in which from Kentucky for this one!” one fan shouted, and she or he was one in every of many who wasn’t upset.

Mitchell paced the Fever with 27 factors for her third straight 20-point sport. Danielle Robinson added eight factors and 4 assists.

Alaina Coates, who took the 2021 WNBA season off to give attention to her psychological well being, made her Fever debut after lacking the primary three video games of the season whereas enjoying in Turkey and a further sport whereas getting acclimated to the group. The 6-4 middle totaled two factors, two rebounds and one steal in eight minutes.

Extra:‘An entire change’: Indiana Fever’s Alaina Coates prioritizes psychological well being in WNBA return