As the Indiana Fever look to get their season back on track, all eyes are on Caitlin Clark’s injury status. The star guard has been absent from the lineup for three straight games, and her ongoing recovery from a groin injury is dominating headlines.
Clark‘s absence comes at a critical juncture for the Fever, who face the Las Vegas Aces next and then a much-hyped meeting with Angel Reese and the Chicago Sky on Saturday.
The groin injury, which kept Clark out of the WNBA All-Star game and recent matchups against New York and Las Vegas, has forced the Fever to adapt without their top playmaker.
Clark has now missed 13 games this season-a surprising development for a player who barely saw the trainer’s table in her collegiate and early professional years.
Despite her missed time, Clark has averaged 16.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 8.8 assists per contest, remaining a driving force when on the court. She leads the team in assists and is the Fever‘s second-leading scorer behind Kelsey Mitchell.
Clark‘s impact isn’t just about wins and losses. Her presence has brought record-breaking attention to the Fever and the WNBA at large.
During her rookie campaign, Clark helped draw a record 3.44 million viewers for the All-Star game, but with her sidelined this past weekend, viewership dipped to 2.2 million according to The Athletic.
Angel Reese dealing with new back injury as Sky continue to struggle
While Indiana’s playoff hopes rest partly on Clark‘s health, the Sky are also dealing with their own star’s physical setbacks. Angel Reese, Chicago’s dynamic forward and double-double machine, has landed back on the injury report-this time with a back issue.
Reese, who missed the Sky‘s last game before the All-Star break due to a leg injury, had returned for both the All-Star Game and Tuesday’s contest against the Minnesota Lynx.
But as of Wednesday, her status has shifted to questionable as the team closely monitors her condition.
Reese has been a lone bright spot for Chicago, who have fallen to 7-16 following a lopsided defeat to Minnesota. Despite the team’s struggles, Reese is enjoying a standout sophomore campaign, averaging career bests in points (13.8) and assists (3.7) while leading the entire league in rebounding for the second year running at 12.5 per game.
Her consistency has kept Chicago afloat, but the Sky remain four games out of the final playoff spot.
Both teams will be watching their medical reports anxiously ahead of the Fever vs Sky clash – a game that had been circled on the calendar for its headline showdown between Clark and Reese.
With both stars battling injuries, fans are left hoping for a marquee duel but bracing for the possibility that neither player will be at full strength when tip-off arrives.
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