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Aliyah Boston Out; Fever Defense Shaken Ahead of Seattle

5/17/2026

Summary

Aliyah Boston Out

Aliyah Boston was ruled out after leaving the May 15 loss to Washington 2:01 left in the quarter.
Coach Stephanie White said she has not spoken to staff and has no information on Boston’s condition.
Boston is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game against Seattle, whose lineup misses Dominique Malonga (concussion), Ezi Magbegor (right foot) and Katie Lou Samuelson (right knee), a factor that could affect the Fever’s defense with her 12-point, 5-rebound average.

Summary

Caitlin Clark Overtime

Caitlin Clark scored a game-high 32 points, including 17 in the fourth quarter, to force overtime.
Kiki Iriafen posted a career-high 25 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in the loss to Washington.
Shakira Austin contributed 19 points, nine rebounds and five assists while helping double-team Boston.
General manager Amber Cox said Boston was “doing great” in the preseason despite her 25-30-minute game limit.

History

Historical Context

When the NBA-backed WNBA began play in 1997, the Houston Comets captured the first title, defeating the New York Liberty 65-51 behind Cynthia Cooper’s league-leading 22.2 points per game and Finals MVP honors. Cooper’s scoring dominance set a benchmark that still shapes how teams, such as today’s Washington Mystics, evaluate star impact and health management.

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Aliyah Boston Out

Aliyah Boston was ruled out after leaving the May 15 loss to Washington 2:01 left in the quarter.
Coach Stephanie White said she has not spoken to staff and has no information on Boston’s condition.
Boston is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game against Seattle, whose lineup misses Dominique Malonga (concussion), Ezi Magbegor (right foot) and Katie Lou Samuelson (right knee), a factor that could affect the Fever’s defense with her 12-point, 5-rebound average.

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