Caitlin Clark Gets Double-Double in 1st WNBA Game vs. Paige Bueckers, Fever Beat Wings

Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers are sure to battle many times over the course of their respective careers. Round 1 went to Clark by knockout.

The Indiana Fever smoked the Dallas Wings on Sunday, 102-83, led by Clark's 14 points, 13 assists and five steals. Kelsey Mitchell (20 points) and Natasha Howard (18 points, two steals) chipped in with big performances.

Bueckers held her own, putting up 21 points, four rebounds and four assists in what continues to be a runaway Rookie of the Year campaign. It wasn't enough to keep pace with Indiana, however, with the Fever moving to 11-10 on the season.

Dallas, meanwhile, is now 6-16.

Better days will be ahead for Bueckers and the Wings, of course. But Sunday belonged to Clark and the Fever, even if Bueckers did her thing:

Any battle between the past two top overall picks is going to be a fun showdown, though the Fever spent the offseason putting together a contending roster around Clark. The Wings, meanwhile, are just beginning their rebuild around Bueckers, and the difference was clear on Sunday.

So the first entry in what promises to be an intriguing rivalry between Clark and Bueckers was a bit anticlimactic. But the pair are among the young faces of the WNBA, and the league is clearly in very good hands.