The Indiana Fever lost to the New York Liberty at Barclays Center, leaving them with a 12-12 record this season. It was the second consecutive match that Caitlin Clark missed after she injured her left groin, but according to Fever head coach Stephanie White there’s no clear timeline for the star’s return.
On Tuesday, IndyStar’s Chloe Peterson reported that White had “no update on Caitlin Clark or a potential timeline.” Though Clark had reportedly seen another doctor earlier in the day, White admitted, “I haven’t spoken with trainers about that yet.”
On Sunday, White told reporters that “These soft tissue injuries sometimes nag until you can actually have time to really allow them to heal in the offseason.” However, as Clark recovers, she expects the group to “continue to progress together.”
Clark’s injury first flared up during Indiana’s 85-77 win over the Connecticut Sun, when she passed the ball and immediately clutched the inside of her right thigh. She leaned against the stanchion in visible discomfort before exiting the court.
Caitlin Clark is dealing with a groin issue (Getty Images)
Initially, White had described the situation as “positive” and shared that Clark was “progressing,” but this latest update suggest that the Fever will be without their star for a while. This is the fourth muscle injury that Clark suffers this season, as she has now missed a total of 11 games in the WNBA regular season.
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Fever’s record without Clark
Clark’s absence has affected both the Fever’s on-court performance. With Clark in the lineup, Indiana is 8-6 in the regular season. Without her, the team is 4-5 — or 5-5 including a Commissioner’s Cup win over the Minnesota Lynx.
After having to miss the All-Star Game over the weekend, in which she was named captain for the first time, Clark admitted that she has been feeling “frustrated” with the injuries, as it is the first time in her career she is forced to be out.
As fans and analysts await a concrete update, the Fever proceed without one of their most impactful players. For now, Clark remains day-to-day, with no specified timeline for return. The Fever are set to play Las Vegas Aces on Thursday.
