Stephanie White was able to lead the Indiana Fever to a 90–73 victory over the Portland Fire despite the absence of superstar guard Caitlin Clark. Guard Tyasha Harris, whose prior season high in minutes was 16 against the Los Angeles Sparks, filled in admirably for the injured Clark, playing a game-high 29 minutes. The 5-foot-10 guard also posted a game-high seven assists with zero turnovers.
Forward Aliyah Boston, who missed the Fever’s prior game against the Seattle Storm on Sunday, had game highs in points (24) and rebounds (8, tied with teammate Lexie Hull). Clark was taken out of the starting lineup only 100 minutes before tipoff, and with the 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year not at practice on Tuesday, some are questioning whether Indiana will be punished by the WNBA for not disclosing any potential injury earlier.
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According to IndyStar Sports’ Chloe Peterson, The Athletic’s James Boyd was one of the reporters questioning head coach Stephanie White on the late scratch of Clark from the game. On Wednesday, after the Fever-Fire game, Peterson went to social media to write about the exchange between Boyd and White.
In a post on X, Peterson wrote that Boyd and White went back and forth about Clark and her availability, or lack thereof, in the game. White insisted that they expected Clark to be available for the game and dismissed the notion that Indiana will face punishment from the league for her absence.
“In a back-and-forth with @RomeovilleKid, Steph White says they expected Caitlin Clark, even without practicing,” Peterson wrote on X. “To be available tonight. That’s why she wasn’t on the injury report. When asked if she expected the Fever to get fined for not listing her on Tues, she went ‘no, no.’”
Additionally, ESPN reporter Alexa Philippou went to X to post the context White provided on Clark’s absence.
“Stephanie White addressed some follow-up questions from @RomeovilleKid on Caitlin Clark’s back,” Philippou wrote on X. “On why CC wasn’t on the injury report: ‘Not everybody that doesn’t practice or gets a pro day is on the injury report. That happens all the time. And she wasn’t listed on the injury report earlier because we expected her to play.’ Asked if Clark is injured: ‘Her back is sore. If there’s anything more detailed than that, that’s the training staff.’”
The Fever will be back at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Friday to face the Golden State Valkyries at 7:30 p.m. ET.
