The Indiana Fever (18-15) return to Gainbridge Fieldhouse Friday night, looking to rebound against the Washington Mystics (14-18) in front of their home crowd. But for fans hoping to see Caitlin Clark back in action, the wait continues.
Clark, who’s been sidelined since the closing seconds of the Fever’s July 15 win over the Connecticut Sun, will remain out with the same right groin injury that’s plagued her for a month. The star guard has been officially ruled out once again, quashing speculation of a surprise comeback.
According to WISH-TV’s Josh Bode, Friday marks Clark’s 12th consecutive missed game due to the injury. In total, she has sat out 21 regular-season matchups this year, plus the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup final.
The Fever have held their own in her absence, posting a 10-10 record without Clark, compared to an 8-5 mark when she’s on the court. Still, her playmaking and scoring ability are sorely missed, especially as the team fights for playoff positioning in the Eastern Conference.
Head coach Stephanie White offered an update earlier this week, noting that Clark’s rehabilitation is moving forward, but not quite at full speed. “No return to practice,” White said. “She’s been able to get a little bit more in her full-court running with all of her body weight. It’s really building up from doing minimal to then building some endurance to do longer periods of time. She’s been able to do a little bit more on the court in terms of how she moves, but not into practice yet.”
Indiana Fever’s season
Indiana heads into Friday’s game aiming to shake off a narrow 81-80 loss to Paige Bueckers and the Dallas Wings earlier in the week.
The Fever have split their two meetings with the Mystics this year—dropping an 83-77 decision in Baltimore on May 28 before responding with an 85-76 home win on June 3. This third matchup could be pivotal as the regular season winds down.