The Indiana Fever managed to secure an 85-77 victory against the Connecticut Sun on Tuesday, with Caitlin Clark experiencing a varied performance.
In her fourth game since recovering from a groin injury, Clark’s participation was cut short as she appeared uncomfortable during the closing moments. With just under 40 seconds remaining and the Fever leading 84-77, Clark was taken out of the game. Fever’s coach, Stephanie White, informed reporters post-game that Clark “felt a sensation in her groin.”
Further examination is planned to assess the extent of the potential injury. Additional information wasn’t shared following the match.
This injury concern arises just before the All-Star weekend in Indianapolis. Clark is scheduled to participate in the 3-point competition and lead her All-Star team, performing in front of her local supporters. The 3-point contest is set for Friday, and the All-Star Game is scheduled for Saturday.
Immediately after the game, Clark’s participation in these events remained uncertain.
Caitlin Clark aggravated a groin injury late in Tuesday’s Fever win over the Sun.
(Brian Fluharty via Getty Images)
Clark sits late after apparent injury
Clark was seen holding her right thigh after making a pass in the game’s final minute, subsequently walking to the sidelines displaying discomfort. She did not resume play.
She remained on the bench as the Fever maintained control of the game. She appeared to be experiencing pain after sitting down.
Another poor shooting night for Clark before strong finish
Before the injury, Clark had difficulty with her shooting but rallied towards the end, contributing significantly to the victory.
She was challenged by a relentless Sun defense in her fourth game back, following a five-game absence due to the groin injury. She missed all of her initial five field goal attempts in the second half, only managing to score midway through the fourth quarter with a jump shot.
She also missed her first five attempts from the 3-point line, before successfully making a long-range shot, extending Indiana’s lead to 80-71. She concluded the game with 4 successful shots out of 14 attempts from the field, and 1 out of 7 from the 3-point line. This marks her fourth consecutive game since her return from injury where she has shot 33.3% or less from the field.
However, Clark scored nine consecutive points for the Fever in the late stages of the game, significantly contributing to securing the win against the Sun. Beyond scoring, she also contributed 14 points, 8 rebounds, and a game-high of 7 assists. She had five turnovers.
Fellow Fever All-Star, Aliyah Boston, also had a limited performance with 11 points, shooting 2 out of 6 from the field. She did not register her first field goal until the third quarter.
Natasha Howard (18 points) and Kelsey Mitchell (20 points) stepped up to compensate, helping the Fever overcome the Sun in front of a sold-out TD Garden audience of over 19,000, in the Boston Celtics’ home arena.
No repeat of tension from previous Sun-Fever tilt
The previous encounter between the Sun and Fever on June 17 was marred by multiple altercations, leading to three ejections late in the game, after Sophie Cunningham from Indiana committed a forceful foul on Jacy Sheldon from Connecticut. This foul instigated a scuffle under the basket, resulting in the ejection of Cunningham, Sheldon, and Lindsay Allen from Connecticut.
By that point, the Fever had firmly established their lead in the game. Cunningham’s foul on Sheldon seemed to be a retaliation for an eye-poke on Clark in the first half, which triggered another skirmish that resulted in Marina Mabrey pushing Clark to the ground. Mabrey was not ejected during the game, but the WNBA later upgraded her shove on Clark to a flagrant 2 foul.
The game raised concerns about the officiating, with criticism directed towards the referees for allowing the physical play to escalate. There was no such tension on Tuesday night, and the primary focus immediately shifted to Clark’s condition after the game.
The Fever improved their record to 12-10 with the win, placing them fifth in the league standings and three games behind the leading New York Liberty in the Eastern Conference. They are scheduled to play against the Liberty on Wednesday, in their final game before the All-Star break. It is likely they will proceed without Clark’s participation.
