A euphoric Caitlin Clark returns, gives first loss of the season to the Liberty

Caitlin Clark returned to the floor for the Fever Saturday and led the Fever to a massive 102-88 win over the Liberty, who were the last undefeated team in the league. The game was a huge return for Clark, who racked up 32 points, 9 assists, and 8 rebounds in 31 minutes on the floor.

Clark was on fire throughout the game, notably hitting three deep 3-pointers in a span of 38 seconds in the game's first half. It was clear she was set on making up for the 19 days spent off the court, a thrilling reality for fans who have clamored for her return.

The Liberty were playing without Jonquel Jones on the floor, a reality that likely factored into the team's loss, but there's no denying that today belonged to the Fever from start to finish. In addition to Clark's contributions, Kelsey Mitchell added 22 points, Lexie Hull hit 14, and Sydney Colson added 10 of her own.

The game was also the team's first with Sophie Cunningham on the floor, and the first following the departure of Aari McDonald, who filled in on a hardship contract while Clark and Cunningham recovered from an injured quadriceps and ankle, respectively.

Caitlin Clark was on fire

There's no easier way to put it: Clark was on first Saturday afternoon. She entered halftime having put up 7 3-pointers and facilitated several assists, exactly the kind of floor running the team has sorely missed in her absence. Though Colson and McDonald both launched valiant attempts at filling the hole left by her injury, Clark proved once again that she's one of a kind when it comes to the Fever.

Clark was also a big part of the 25-3 run the Fever enjoyed during the second half — a tear that had the team up by as much as 16 points over the defending champions. In fact, the Fever played a type of basketball game that no one team has matched against the Liberty so far this season, something that appeared to catch the Liberty off guard — and that the team failed to truly recover from.

Sabrina Ionescu also had a big shooting game

Though the Liberty lost, Ionescu didn't struggle to hit 3s of her own, and ended the game with 34 points, 4 assists, and 2 rebounds. That effort was nearly matched by Breanna Stewart, who added 24 points, 2 assists, and 5 rebounds of her own.