The Indiana Fever secured a 90-73 victory over the Portland Fire on Wednesday night in Indianapolis, playing without star guard Caitlin Clark due to a back injury.
Clark was ruled out less than two hours before tipoff, marking her first missed game of the season.
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Boston Leads the Way
Center Aliyah Boston returned from her own one-game absence to post a game-high 24 points and eight rebounds.
Kelsey Mitchell added 21 points, while Lexie Hull contributed 16 points on perfect shooting from the field and free-throw line, according to CBS Sports.
Tyasha Harris started in place of Clark and recorded seven assists and two steals without committing a turnover.
Indiana shot 62.5% in the first quarter to build a 28-20 lead and never trailed throughout the contest, as reported by KATU.
Portland cut the deficit to 32-30 in the second quarter on a midrange jumper by Sarah Ashlee Barker, but the Fever responded with a 21-7 run to take a 16-point halftime lead.
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The Fever maintained a double-digit margin in the second half.
Bridget Carleton led Portland with 16 points, and Sug Sutton added 14.
Fire rookie Nyadiew Puoch suffered an apparent right leg injury late in the third quarter and did not return.
The win improves Indiana to 3-2, while the expansion Portland franchise drops to 2-3.
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The Fever host Golden State on Friday, and the Fire continue their road trip against Toronto on Saturday.
