The Indiana Fever will face the Phoenix Mercury on Wednesday without All-Star guard Caitlin Clark, a significant challenge as the team aims to extend its two-game winning streak.
Clark has been ruled out of the contest, marking the fifth consecutive game she will miss with a right groin injury. The team announced that while medical evaluations revealed no additional damage, it is taking a cautious approach with her recovery to ensure she is healthy for the remainder of the season and potential playoff run. There is currently no timetable for her return.
Injuries have heavily impacted Clark’s sophomore campaign, forcing the 2024 Rookie of the Year to miss 14 of the Fever’s 26 regular-season games. Before this latest setback, which occurred on July 15 against the Connecticut Sun, she was sidelined for five games with a left quad injury and four with a left groin issue. The injuries also caused her to withdraw from the WNBA All-Star Game, where she was a team captain, and the Commissioner’s Cup final.
Despite Clark’s frequent absences, the Fever (14-12) have managed a 6-7 record without her and remain in sixth place in the league standings. In the 13 games she has played, Clark is averaging 16.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, and a career-high 8.8 assists, the second-highest mark in the WNBA.
Fever head coach Stephanie White acknowledged the difficulty of the league’s schedule, suggesting it contributes to a higher rate of injuries. “I always think the WNBA season is like this sprint marathon,” White said. “You see more injuries when you don’t have a chance to recover.”
The challenge intensifies for the Fever, who will embark on a four-game road trip starting Friday. The team will travel to face Dallas, Seattle, Los Angeles, and Phoenix within a single week.
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