Lexie Hull shared insights on the current condition of superstar Caitlin Clark, who has missed significant time this season due to injury, as the Indiana Fever star hopes she will return for the WNBA Playoffs.
Clark has appeared in only 13 games after struggling with a right groin injury and an ankle bone bruise that has left her out of commission since July 15, with her recent injury occurring on August 7.
Yet despite these setbacks, Hull expressed admiration for the 23-year-old’s resilience and mental toughness during her recovery as she pushes to be available for some postseason basketball.
“I’ve been impressed with (Caitlin Clark’s) maturity through it,” Hull told Sportskeeda. “It’s not easy to go day-to-day and continue to think, ‘Maybe this is my day, maybe it’s not.’
“But she continues to come in and be the person that she is. She’s funny and a jokester. She brings energy and a light to situations that could be really dark.
“So I think, more than anything, I’m just proud of her and her resiliency throughout this year. Hopefully, we’ll see her back out there.”
Hull‘s remarks suggest optimism for Clark‘s return, though the Fever have kept her comeback timetable private, although Indiana’s coaching staff has indicated that Clark is out indefinitely.
That leaves her participation in the remaining regular-season games uncertain as securing a playoff spot is still a key focus for the team, which adds urgency to evaluating Clark’s readiness.
Fortunately, Indiana’s recent 21-18 win against the LA Sparks improved their postseason prospects and may influence Clark’s potential return as after struggling in the first quarter, trailing 31-24, the Fever regained control in the second quarter and maintained composure down the stretch.
Standout performances fueled the team’s comeback. Aliyah Boston recorded her second consecutive 20-point game with 22 points, 11 rebounds and four assists, whilst Odyssey Sims added 21 points.
The win was especially encouraging for Fever supporters eager to see Clark back on the court and if she rejoins the lineup, Indiana could add a critical scoring and playmaking boost as they push toward the WNBA Playoffs.
Who do the Fever play next?
The Indiana Fever are next in action on Sunday, August 31 as they take on the 20-18 Golden State Valkyries at the Chase Center in San Francisco.
The Valkyries, the WNBA’s newest team, have won two games in a row after beating the Dallas Wings and Washington Mystics but find themselves placed fifth in the Western Conference.
They trail the Minnesota Lynx, Las Vegas Aces, Phoenix Mercury and Seattle Storm in the standings, whilst in the Eastern Conference, the Fever are behind only the Atlanta Dream and New York Liberty.
A win would let them put pressure on New York for the second seed out of the conference as the WNBA Playoffs loom large on the horizon with just five games to go after Sunday.
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