The Connecticut Sun make their long-awaited return to Boston on Tuesday with a marquee matchup against Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever at the TD Garden at 8 p.m. EDT.
Only two players remain from last year’s Sun team that defeated the Los Angeles Sparks, 69-61, on Aug. 21, 2024, where a sold-out crowd of over 19,000 fans got to witness Boston’s first-ever WNBA game.
“I heard last year at the (TD Garden) was packed,” Sun guard Bria Hartley said on Sunday. “So we’re just excited, I can’t wait to get there.”
A similar level of fanfare is expected this time around as well, which has all but become the norm when hosting Clark and Indiana.
However, when it comes to the Sun and the Fever, it’s safe to say the temperature is bound to rise.
After a contentious first-round matchup in the 2024 WNBA Playoffs, it did not take long for the two sides to get each other’s faces in their first meeting of the season on Jun. 17, an 88-71 loss for Connecticut.
The game resulted in three players getting ejected after two separate physical confrontations — one involving Sun’s guard Jacy Sheldon poking Clark in the eye in the third quarter.
Another incident late in the fourth Fever forward Sophie Cunningham fouling Sheldon on a fast break.
While both coaches will be hoping for calmer heads to prevail, the on-court tension between the two teams adds an exciting element that cannot be denied.
“I’m excited, it got a little chippy the last game, so I think there’s some hype coming into the game,” Rivers said on Friday. “I’m just excited to play, hopefully it’s just a good game for us on both sides of the ball so I’m excited.”
Sun’s youth continue to show promise
Rivers enters Tuesday’s game with another reason to be excited, as she looks to extend her double-digit scoring streak to five.
The No. 8 pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft scored a career-high 20 points on 8-11 shooting from the field in Sunday’s loss to the Sparks, including three-for-four from downtown.
“I don’t know if I would say it’s easier, but I think I had like a mental shift,” Rivers said after the game. “I’m not sure what clicked, but I’m glad it’s clicking (and) I hope it keeps clicking.
“Blessed to have a career-high, blessed that my teammates have that much trust in me to get me the ball and have trust I (will) knock the shots down.”
Rivers also grabbed six rebounds and nabbed three steals in the loss, giving her 30 steals on the season (eighth in the WNBA) and 1.7 steals per game (tied for sixth).
Across the board for the Sun, the younger players have shown tremendous progress and displayed signs of high potential.
French international Leïla Lacan has made an immediate impact on the team and forced her way into Connecticut guard rotation without much difficulty and receiving praise for her IQ and vision from teammates and staff along the way.
Aneesah Morrow also had a delayed start to her WNBA career, recovering from knee injuries sustained over the course of a long college season heading into her rookie year.
But since returning to the court, she’s slowly grown her way into the rotation. The 6′1 forward has crossed double figures six times this season, including twice recording a double-double in points and rebounds.
The development goes beyond the rookies, as second-year guard Sheldon is averaging career-high numbers in points, minutes and efficiency-wise, while fourth-year center Olivia Nelson-Ododa is also averaging career-high numbers in minutes, points, rebounds and blocks.
Fans interested in attending the game can shop around for tickets at StubHub (starting at $107), SeatGeek ($109), TicketMaster ($106) and VividSeats ($119).
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