Rookie Blues: Caitlin Clark's Rough Start to WNBA Playoff Debut

Caitlin Clark, the AP WNBA Rookie of the Year, endured a difficult playoff debut on Thursday night, struggling with her shot and dealing with a black eye after being smacked in the face in the first quarter.

In her first postseason game, Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark faced a series of unfortunate events. Just minutes into the contest against the Connecticut Sun, Clark was inadvertently struck in the eye by opposing guard DiJonai Carrington, leaving her with a painful black eye and potentially compromised vision. Despite the discomfort, Clark remained on the court, determined to make an impact for her team.

However, Clark's shooting performance fell short of her usual standards. The Iowa product shot a dismal 2-of-13 from beyond the arc, a far cry from her season average of 41.1%. The entire Fever squad struggled from deep, converting only 6 of 28 three-point attempts. Clark acknowledged the disappointing shooting display, lamenting the missed opportunities.

Rookie Blues: Caitlin Clark's Rough Start to WNBA Playoff Debut

"I felt like I got good shots, they just didn't go down," Clark said after the game. "Obviously, a tough time for that to happen, but I got some pretty good looks. I had three pretty wide open 3s in the first half that you usually make, so I felt like [I] battled and tried my best."

Adding to the team's woes, Clark's fellow rookie, Aliyah Boston, was unable to replicate her stellar regular season form. Boston, who had averaged 14.3 points and 9.7 rebounds per game during the regular season, was limited to 17 points and 11 rebounds against the Sun.

Rookie Blues: Caitlin Clark's Rough Start to WNBA Playoff Debut

"We were right there," Clark said. "I just felt like we played a crappy game. The flow of the game was really bad."

Despite the discouraging result, Fever head coach Marianne Stanley expressed confidence in her young team.

Rookie Blues: Caitlin Clark's Rough Start to WNBA Playoff Debut

"There's a lot of growth that comes with playoff basketball," Stanley said. "We're going to learn from this experience and come back even stronger in Game 2."

Clark's rookie season has been filled with both highs and lows. She averaged 13.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game during the regular season and was voted the AP WNBA Rookie of the Year earlier on Thursday. However, her playoff debut was a stark reminder of the challenges and adversities that come with professional basketball.

Despite the setbacks, Clark remains optimistic about the future.

"This is a learning experience," Clark said. "I'm going to take it and grow from it. We're going to come back and be better in Game 2."

The Indiana Fever will have a chance to even the series when they host the Connecticut Sun in Game 2 on Saturday night.