Clark had a day off on Monday but still found herself part of the debate around basketball – this time during the NBA Finals between Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks. The Celtics won 106-88 at TD Garden to become NBA champions in front of a euphoric crowd and blew the Mavs away with a dominant performance.
During the second quarter, however, P.J. Washington threw Boston’s Kristaps Porzingis to the ground, after leaving an elbow hanging when he attempted to shoulder charge him.
As the crowd booed the Dallas man and Porzingis confronted his opponent, Burke simply said: ‘If that were Caitlin Clark, it might spark a debate for a week.’
Clarke, the No 1 pick in the WNBA Draft this year, has found her every move under intensifying scrutiny in her rookie season with the Indiana Fever. She had previously complained that players were escaping penalties for extra physical play against her. Then, in the next game, she was bodychecked to the ground off the ball by Chennedy Carter of Chicago Sky. In a rematch against the Sky on Sunday, Clark’s long-standing rival Angel Reese got flagrent foul called against her for making contact with Reese’s face when she tried to swipe the ball away.
‘It was a basketball play,; Reese insisted after the game. ‘I can’t control the refs. They affected the game obviously a lot tonight. I guess some people got a special whistle.’
The Washington-Porzingis incident was far less contentious but ultimately barely a footnote on the evening for the Celtics, as they landed an historic 18th NBA title. It takes the Celtics to a tally of 18 NBA titles, the most in history and one ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers.
