The Indiana Fever need Caitlin Clark healthy now more than ever. With 10 games left in the regular season, Indiana sits fourth at 22-12, only half a game ahead of the Atlanta Dream and just 2.5 games clear of eighth place. There is very little room for anything to derail the Fever’s push for a strong playoff position.
So when Clark appeared to hurt her left ankle during Friday’s win over the Dallas Wings, it was enough to make Indiana fans nervous. With less than a minute left in the first half, Clark stepped on Alysha Clark’s foot and rolled her left ankle. She immediately checked out and headed to the locker room, leaving the Fever to finish the half without their star guard.
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The injury did not keep Clark on the sideline for long. She returned after halftime and looked like herself, scoring 20 points in the second half alone as Indiana pulled away for the 98-87 victory. By the final buzzer, Clark had 29 points and 10 assists, turning what initially looked like a worrying moment into a much more encouraging ending.
The concern was eased somewhat when Indiana released its injury report ahead of Sunday’s game in Atlanta. Clark was listed as probable, but the designation was once again for her back, not the left ankle that caused the scare against Dallas.
Clark has already been listed as probable with the back issue 26 times this season so Saturday’s designation is hardly unfamiliar territory for Indiana. She was later cleared to play Sunday, and will participate in her 31st game of the season.
The Fever have depended so much on Clark’s ability to facilitate their offense, with the three-time All-Star leading the league in assists per game. She is also averaging 21.9 points (third most in the WNBA), with Kelsey Mitchell and Aliyah Boston benefiting from the attention she creates and the opportunities she generates.
The Fever begin a five-game trip Sunday against Angel Reese and the Dream at 5 p.m. ET on ESPN and Disney+.
