The bad news doesn’t stop this season for Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever. Despite Tuesday’s 85-77 victory against the Connecticut Sun, the Fever received the worst news in the final seconds of the game when Clark grabbed her groin, indicating a new injury. Clark has already missed five games this year, including the Commissioner’s Cup Championship, due to a left groin strain. The 23-year-old Rookie of the Year has also missed five games with a left quad injury. This raises questions about what the Fever’s medical staff is doing with Clark. Are they rushing her recovery to get her back on the court too soon? Why are these injuries so recurrent when, across her 139 games at Iowa and her entire rookie season, she never missed a game due to injury?
Clark’s Referee Clash and Performance Dip
The injury was evident at the game’s end, and for tonight’s matchup against the Liberty, Clark is listed as doubtful. She’ll likely miss that game and possibly the All-Star Game this weekend, where she was set to co-captain alongside MVP frontrunner Napheesa Collier.
Clark’s frustration boiled over in the third quarter when she confronted a referee during a timeout, saying, “Come here, come here!” while motioning with her finger, before adding, “I will be calling [the league] on you.” Take a look and judge yourself
As the WNBA’s most popular player, Clark is aware of her influence and wields it confidently. Her outburst might have come off as arrogant, as if to say, “Don’t you know who I am?” However, every story has two sides, and we don’t know what the referee said to spark her reaction.
Clark has a history of being tough on referees, so it’s likely that Commissioner Cathy Engelbert has already seen the clip or spoken with Clark. The rest of the league has probably seen it too, perhaps wondering, “What privileges does she have to speak so boldly?”
Her recovery is the priority now. Clark can’t keep cycling through five games played and five missed-it’s hurting both the team and her own performance. She’s clearly not at 100%, not just because she’s gone seven games without hitting 20 points (including six without reaching 15), but because of these persistent injuries.
Caitlin Clark’s Injury Struggles Persist
One statistic that has been circulating is Clark’s three-point shooting. This skill, along with her assists, defines her fame, especially her signature long threes. In her last five road games, she has made only two of her 35 attempts (5.71%), a percentage that even Angel Reese surpasses with three makes. Her lack of health is also apparent in her last four games since returning from her second injury of the season.
She’s averaging 12.5 points, 8.8 assists (her standout stat), and 5.0 rebounds in 25 minutes per game. These numbers aren’t what fans, the WNBA, or basketball lovers expect from her.
There is a glimmer of hope, though, in last season when the Fever started slowly but surged after the break, driven by Caitlin Clark’s stellar play. She averaged 23.1 points and 8.9 assists over the final 14 games. Fans are eager for her to return to form. So far this season, Clark has averaged 16.5 points, 8.8 assists, and 5.0 rebounds across 13 games, achieving five double-doubles.
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