Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark made history on Friday after dropping 45 points and 10 assists against the Seattle Storm. She became the first player in WNBA history to record a 40-point, 10-assist performance, all while becoming the fastest player to reach 200 triples.
However, because the Storm showdown was the first game of a back-to-back, there were questions about Clark's availability for Saturday's meeting with the New York Liberty.
Clark is still recovering from the back injury she re-aggravated during a June 24 contest against the Phoenix Mercury. She missed two games and was not able to play competitively for two weeks because of the setback. The All-Star guard has also been on strict minute restrictions and under load management ever since she returned on July 8.
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Is Caitlin Clark Playing Today in Fever vs. Liberty?
Considering the fact that Clark also went over her 25-minute restriction against the Storm, with head coach Stephanie White opting to ride her hot hand en route to her historic night, it wouldn't have been surprising if the Fever had chosen to let her rest.
Clark was initially labeled as probable against the Liberty because of her back injury. Interestingly, more than an hour before tipoff, the Fever upgraded her status to available for the contest.
For what it's worth, White said on Friday that the plan for Clark was to suit up against the Liberty, although she did not say so with finality since it still depended on how the superstar playmaker would feel prior to the game.
Clark is averaging 20.9 points, 4.0 rebounds and 7.8 assists per game this season. She's fourth in the league in scoring and second in assists. That being said, her presence is certainly crucial as the 15-10 Fever look to move up the WNBA standings.
