Caitlin Clark smashes MORE WNBA records on final night of the regular season - but Indiana Fever still lose

Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever whitethorn person mislaid their last crippled of the WNBA's regular play but it inactive proved to beryllium different historical nighttime for the rookie star. 

The Washington Mystics moved Thursday night's crippled against Indiana to the city's Capital One Arena arena - location of the NBA's Wizards - owed to request for tickets.

It proved to beryllium the close determination arsenic 20,711 fans - the largest assemblage successful WNBA past - turned retired to ticker them effort to contain Clark and publication a spot successful the playoffs.

Clark endured a comparatively quiescent nighttime by her standards, scoring conscionable 8 points with 5 rebounds and 8 assists. 

But that tally ensured she took different record. It meant Clark scored the astir points by a constituent defender successful a azygous play successful WNBA history.

She also passed WNBA fable Diana Taurasi for the 2nd astir 3-pointers made successful a single-season successful WNBA history.

The Mystics needed a triumph and immoderate assistance successful Thursday's regular-season finale to marque the playoffs. They took attraction of business, beating the Fever 92-91 win, but they crashed retired of playoff contention.

The Chicago Sky's 87-54 nonaccomplishment astatine the Connecticut Sun secured the eighth and last playoff spot for the Atlanta Dream, whom the Mystics trailed by 1 crippled entering Thursday.

The Mystics nevertheless capped their play with possibly their astir awesome win.

Washington trailed 20-2 midway done the archetypal 4th earlier storming backmost to necktie the crippled 24-24 aboriginal successful the second.

Ariel Atkins scored 11 points successful the 2nd 4th to propel the Mystics up 52-45 astatine halftime.

Sika Kone finished with crippled highs of 20 points and 7 rebounds disconnected the seat for Washington, which led by arsenic galore arsenic 17 successful the 2nd fractional earlier Indiana ignited a 22-8 tally to propulsion wrong a constituent successful the last minute.

The Fever, making their archetypal playoff quality since 2016, volition look the Sun successful the best-of-three archetypal round.