Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark has been dominated out of Saturday’s recreation in opposition to the Los Angeles Sparks, which is able to mark the fifth consecutive recreation she has missed as she recovers from a left groin harm. Clark’s absence continues because the Fever come off the excessive of successful the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup in an upset over the Minnesota Lynx on Tuesday evening.
Clark had been a partial participant in follow in latest days, and Fever coach Stephanie White maintained to reporters on Wednesday that the crew continues to be cautious along with her restoration.
“My purpose has all the time been the identical: I do not need this to be one thing that lingers, that we come again too quickly, ” White mentioned. “We need to be sure that she is 100% able to go and that we put her long-term well being and wellness on the forefront.”
Fever vs. Lynx score: How Indiana stunned Minnesota to win Commissioner’s Cup despite Caitlin Clark’s absence
Jack Maloney
Clark final spoke on Sunday after follow and instructed reporters she felt “good” and was taking issues “day-by-day.”
“Doing all the pieces I can to place myself ready to play the following recreation each single time,” Clark mentioned. “That is all the time my purpose is to be obtainable for the following recreation. Doing all the pieces I can with the medical workers to have the ability to get my physique proper to have the ability to try this. However yeah, I really feel good and simply going day-by-day.”
Clark has not performed since June 24, when she was held to a season-low six factors in a win over the Seattle Storm. Within the last seconds of that contest, Clark took a clumsy fall. Previous to their subsequent recreation in opposition to the Los Angeles Sparks on Thursday, the crew introduced that Clark wouldn’t play as a result of a groin harm. She additionally sat out in opposition to No. 1 general choose Paige Bueckers and the Dallas Wings final Friday.
Clark beforehand missed time with quad pressure
That is the second harm Clark has handled this season. On Memorial Day, she was recognized with a left quad pressure that in the end saved her out for 3 weeks. All instructed, Clark has missed seven of the Fever’s 16 common season video games up to now this yr. They’re 3-4 with out her and 5-4 when she performs.
Earlier than this season, Clark hadn’t missed a recreation since highschool. Previous to sitting out of the Fever’s loss to the Washington Mystics on Could 28, she had performed in 185 consecutive video games courting again to her freshman season of school at Iowa.
The Fever (and everybody within the league workplace) had been hoping to have Clark again for the Commissioner’s Cup championship, however there was no purpose to hurry her again, even for a marquee occasion. Regardless of successful the Commissioner’s Cup, the championship doesn’t rely as a daily season recreation and doesn’t have any tangible impact on the Fever’s season as an entire. Giving her a couple of further days to make sure she’s totally recovered is much extra essential for the Fever because the mid-way level of the season nears.
After an exciting begin to the season, the Fever have limped by way of the final month. Clark, Sophie Cunningham, Damiris Dantas and even White have missed a number of video games, whereas key free agent acquisition DeWanna Bonner compelled her means out of city. Consequently, the Fever are caught in eighth place at 8-8. They will want Clark as near 100% as doable the remainder of the way in which in the event that they need to climb within the standings.