On Saturday, Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever are set to face the defending champions, the New York Liberty. Still, questions remain about whether their star guard will have her much-awaited return to the game.
The Fever previously sidelined Clark due to a left quad injury, with expectations of her recovery in two weeks. However, the 23-year-old has yet to return, and her absence significantly costs her team. In reference, Indiana went 2-3, seventh in the league, without her, and with the soon match against Liberty, time is drastically ticking for the team.
Fortunately for Indiana’s fans, head coach Stephanie White provided a valuable update regarding Caitlin Clark’s injury after Thursday’s practice.
“I mean, we limited their reps but really tried to get them up and down the floor a little bit, start to try to get into game rhythm, game speed, game pace,” White said. “Timing [is] a little bit off, rhythm a little bit off. But continuing to try to work them in as much as we could.”
Both Sophie Cunningham and Caitlin Clark’s reps were limited today, Steph White said, but they’re starting to run up and down the floor to get back in game rhythm.
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Among the sidelined Clark is Sophie Cunningham, who is out due to her ankle injury during the preseason. She’s also out for two weeks.
The Fever, seeking a deeper run this season, deeply needs Caitlin Clark and Cunningham on Saturday’s game. While others, such as Aliyah Boston and Natasha Howard, showed potential, a full roster is better, especially when facing a team surrounded by superstars like Sabrina Ionescu.
While Caitlin Clark remains out of the court, her teammates continue praising her morale-boosting and coaching talents. In Thursday’s ESPN article by Michael Voepel, Fever’s Aliyah Boston and Lexie Hull shared their experiences with Clark on the sidelines.
“She [Clark] doesn’t like sitting still,” Hull said. “She likes being occupied and having something to do, so the coaches give her things to keep track of. I mean, you see it — she wants to be out there. She’s talking to the refs, she’s still very much involved.”
Meanwhile, Boston had a hilarious response when she play-wrestled with Clark, who was bouncing a small ball over the bench.
“Oh my gosh, she’s like a little kid,” Boston said. “She needs to keep herself entertained… But seriously, she’s always talking, always moving. It keeps everything pretty light. That’s her personality.”
Despite the hindrance of not playing with her teammates in games, Caitlin Clark remains a vital factor, especially with her team undergoing struggles without her on the court.
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