Fever clinch playoff spot, snapping WNBA’s longest drought

Caitlin Clark’s rookie season will extend into the playoffs.

The idle Indiana Fever clinched a playoff spot Tuesday after losses by the Atlanta Dream and Chicago Sky.

The Fever last made the playoffs in 2016, an eight-year drought that was the longest in the WNBA. Indiana is currently sixth in the WNBA standings with a 17-16 record. The seventh-place Phoenix Mercury also clinched a playoff spot Tuesday, leaving five teams to battle for the final spot.

Clark, the No. 1 pick in this year’s draft, has been breaking rookie records seemingly every night this season. In 33 games this season, the all-star point guard is averaging 18.7 points and 8.4 assists.