Marina Mabrey leads Sun to playoff victory over Fever

In a decisive Game 1 of their playoff series on Sunday night, the Connecticut Sun triumphed over the Indiana Fever with a score of 93-69. Marina Mabrey emerged as a standout player, scoring 27 points off the bench, marking the highest points for a bench player in playoff history. Her performance included five 3-pointers, all made in the second half, alongside three rebounds and three assists. Mabrey stepped in after Tyasha Harris was injured early in the game. Alyssa Thomas also made history by achieving a triple-double, contributing 12 points, 13 assists, and 10 rebounds, becoming only the third player in WNBA history to accomplish this feat in a playoff game. DeWanna Bonner added 22 points to the Sun's total, showcasing a well-rounded team effort. The Fever struggled offensively, shooting only 40% from the field and a dismal 21% from beyond the arc, hitting just 6 of 28 attempts. Kelsey Mitchell led Indiana with 21 points, while Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston contributed 11 and 17 points, respectively. Clark's shooting was particularly poor, as she made only 2 of 13 attempts from 3-point range. With this victory, the Sun take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series, setting the stage for Game 2, which is scheduled for Wednesday night at the Mohegan Sun Arena. The outcome of this game could significantly impact the momentum of the series as both teams aim for a playoff victory.