The Indiana Fever are set to play against Los Angeles Sparks tonight at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. However, Stephanie White’s team, who is coming from a win against Seattle Sounders, will be without their star Caitlin Clark.
Clark will miss the match due to a left groin issue, the team announced. While the guard hadn’t missed a single game during her college career and first WNBA season, this season she already missed five matches due to a left quad injury.
In that stretch without her, from May 28 to June 10, the Fever went 3-2. Since coming back, Clark has averaged 17.8 points across five games. That includes a standout 32-point performance in her return against the New York Liberty.
However, Clark has hit a cold spell from long range recently, making just 1 of her last 23 attempts from beyond the arc over the past three games. The Fever have dropped two of those contests.
Clark also missed the team’s first preseason game on May 3 with a left leg issue. When she later suffered the quad injury, Fever coach Stephanie White said it wasn’t connected to the preseason problem.
What’s next for the Indiana Fever?
It’s unclear if the current groin injury is related, or how much time she might miss going forward. After Thursday’s game, the Fever head to Dallas to face the Wings on Friday, then get five days off before hosting the Las Vegas Aces next Thursday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Clark’s absence is a blow for the Fever. They are 7-7 overall, and in the eighth spot of the overall table (third in the East Conference). While the Fever were regarded as potential candidates, they have been dealing with absences, including the exit of DeWanna Bonner.
