Alyssa Thomas is laying down WNBA Playoffs marker for Caitlin Clark to aim for
Alyssa Thomas led the Connecticut Sun to victory in the semifinals of the WNBA Playoffs with a 5+ points and 10+ assists, giving Caitlin Clark another record to pursue
Alyssa Thomas powered the Connecticut Sun to a 92-82 victory over the Minnesota Lynx in Game 4 of their semifinal series, keeping their WNBA Finals dreams alive. Thomas used her well-rounded ability to record her eighth postseason game with 15+ points and 10+ assists in her ten-year career.
Thomas continued her postseason, delivering a near triple-double with 18 points, 11 assists, and eight rebounds to lead the Sun. DeWanna Bonner’s 18 points supported her, Dijonai Carrington’s 15 points, and a game-high 20 points from Tyasha Harris, creating an unstoppable offensive unit that overwhelmed the Lynx from beyond the arc.
With the win, the Sun keep their championship aspirations alive, chasing the first title in franchise history. Founded in 1999 as the Orlando Miracle before relocating to Connecticut in 2003, the Sun is determined to join the New York Liberty, which has already secured its spot in the Finals and is also pursuing its first WNBA championship.
Thomas continues to cement her reputation as one of the WNBA’s most versatile players. With 15 triple-doubles, she holds the record for the most in league history. Caitlin Clark has drawn comparisons to Thomas for her ability to rack up 15+ points and 10+ assists, achieving this 12 times in her Rookie of the Year season.
Clark also became the first rookie in WNBA history to record multiple triple-doubles in a season, adding to her list of milestones as she follows in the footsteps of versatile stars like Thomas. The Indiana Fever fell short in the playoffs and got swept by the No. 3 seed Sun, forcing the rookie to wait until later in her career before she had the chance to surpass the WNBA legend.
The elite list of WNBA players who have recorded 15+ points and 10+ assists in playoff games includes some of the league’s biggest stars: Chelsea Gray, Diana Taurasi, Natasha Cloud, and Sue Bird, all of who achieved the feat three times. Clark came close to joining the list but fell just one assist short, recording 25 points, nine assists, and six rebounds in Game 2 of the Fever’s first-round loss to the Sun.
The Sun eliminated the Fever during the WNBA Playoffs
In the elimination game, Clark shot poorly from the 3-point line, going 3 for 12 from beyond the arc. Thomas padded her record tally with 19 points and 13 assists in the same game.
Thomas and Clark have had a silent back-and-forth battle during the WNBA season regarding triple-doubles. Thomas earned a triple-double against the Minnesota Lynx in July, and not long after, Clark logged her first career triple-double with 19 points, 12 rebounds, and 13 assists against the Liberty.
In September, Clark added her second triple-double against the Los Angeles Sparks. Thomas responded by recording two more triple-doubles, one against the Sparks and the other in a matchup against Clark and the Fever.
