INDIANAPOLIS — When Caitlin Clark talked about getting the first triple-double in both WNBA rookie and Indiana Fever history, she didn’t want to talk about herself.

With 19 points, 12 rebounds, and 13 assists (tying the single-game franchise record she set), she wanted to make it about her teammates.

“I take a lot of pride in being able to do a lot of different things for this team,” Clark said. “I think we're really good when I can get the ball off the glass and just go in transition and find my teammates and set them up. Obviously 13 assists, my teammates made 13 shots off my passes. So that goes to them.”

Fever center Aliyah Boston, sitting next to Clark on the postgame podium, quickly interjected, saying, “She’s so humble, isn’t she? That’s very cool, Caitlin, good job sister!” while patting her shoulder.

It was one of multiple milestones for the Fever: Clark’s triple-double was the first by a rookie in WNBA history and the first in the Fever franchise, and Indiana picked up its first win over New York since the 2022 season.

It was also a sign of how far the Fever have come, on and off the court, since they started 2-9 — including three losses to the Liberty — in their first 11 games.

They’ve come a long way since Clark had 10 turnovers in her first professional game, her teammates not used to the intricate, long-range passes she became known for in college. A long way since head coach Christie Sides benched every starter except Boston nearly a month ago in a loss to Connecticut.

Just over halfway through the season, the Fever are starting to click.

“They keep showing up,” Sides said. “I keep saying the resiliency that they show, the chemistry that they have on the court, that just keeps getting better. And that just takes time.”

Indiana had improved to the point that it was able to consistently beat the teams near the bottom of the standings, including the Atlanta Dream, Washington Mystics, and Chicago Sky.

But the Fever were still looking for a true signature win. They beat the Phoenix Mercury (Indiana’s first win over a .500 team this season), to cap off a 7-4 record in the month of June, but it was still a middle-of-the-pack victory.

The Fever’s 11-point, fourth-quarter comeback, 83-78, win over the league-leading Liberty broke a nine-game losing streak against New York. It showed that, after time to practice and learn each other’s tendencies on the court, the Fever have a chance to make waves in the WNBA.

“This young team, the least experienced team in the league, is just getting these opportunities to be in these games, and then learning from them,” Sides said. “I know everybody thinks we should be winning every game of the season, and that's just not where we are, but we just showed so much growth tonight.”

Clark, who started her professional career with more turnovers than assists, has evened out her turnover-to-assist ratio — and that comes with learning her teammates, and her teammates learning her.

Clark and Boston’s connection, specifically, has blossomed. Clark assisted Boston 1.3 times per game in the first 13 games, per ESPN, before it ballooned to four times per game since then. Clark currently leads the WNBA with 162 assists, and halfway through the season, she is the first rookie to record 350+ points, 150+ assists, and 100+ rebounds.

The biggest difference, though, is the Fever’s tenacity when it comes to close games.

“I feel like we're definitely playing good basketball, we're definitely finding some confidence in what we're able to do out there on the court,” Clark said. “We're playing together better. But I think the biggest difference for us has been when teams make runs, we don't crumble.”

Just one game prior, the Fever fell apart in the fourth when the Las Vegas Aces started the quarter on a 10-0 run. This time around, when the New York Liberty took the Fever’s 12-point lead in the first and turned it into a 11-point lead of their own in the third, Indiana wasn’t fazed.

Down six points with five minutes left, Indiana outscored New York, 15-3, to close out the game. That resiliency, that drive is something Sides has been looking for since she became the coach of the Fever ahead of the 2023 season.

And if the Fever can continue having that tenacity, they can be competitive in any situation.

“They thought differently tonight, and they know that,” Sides said. “... They're just getting where they're on the same page. And able to execute things offensively, but we keep getting better defensively.”

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Fever are starting to click. Take win vs. New York Liberty as evidence