Caitlin Clark has now been sidelined for seven weeks due to a groin injury, and fans remain unsure when the star guard will rejoin the Fever on the court. Indiana’s coach, Stephanie White, has consistently provided updates emphasizing a cautious approach, focusing on Clark’s “long-term health” and progress assessed “day-to-day.”
While White mentioned that Clark needs to regain her endurance and be able to withstand physical contact before returning to play, she has yet to provide any firm timeline for Clark’s comeback.
According to White‘s latest remarks, Clark has mainly been working on shooting drills and individual training. “I think that the long-term viewpoint of her health and wellness is the most important thing,” White said.
Despite Clark‘s ongoing rehab, some basketball insiders have expressed concern about a particular decision made by the Fever‘s management-allowing Clark to travel with the team throughout most of her recovery.
Rachel DeMita, a basketball analyst and podcaster, shared her doubts on the Courtside Club podcast. She found it unusual that Clark has traveled with the team to every game except one since her injury. “She’s been on every road trip,” DeMita noted. She explained that travel can be extremely taxing on a player’s body, especially when trying to recover and prepare to return to game action.
With years of experience covering professional basketball, DeMita pointed out that top-tier players rarely travel if the team wants them to focus seriously on rehabilitation and getting back on the court.
Since being sidelined, Clark has only missed one away game. On Sue Bird‘s podcast, Clark expressed her dedication to attending every road game despite her injury, wanting to support fans who have invested time and money to watch her play. “I am gonna go to every road game no matter what,” Clark said.
However, this commitment has sparked debate among fans and analysts who wonder if the travel is actually hindering her recovery.
A peer-reviewed study titled “The Negative Influence of Air Travel on Health and Performance in the National Basketball Association” highlights how frequent flying can disrupt athletes’ hydration, nutrition, and sleep patterns, which may prolong the healing process. This research raises concerns about Clark‘s extensive travel schedule while still in rehab.
DeMita doesn’t endorse Clark‘s continued travel despite the financial benefits it may bring to the Fever. Nor does she support rushing Clark back into competition before she’s fully ready.
With just three games left in the regular season, DeMita believes it would be reckless to throw the team’s franchise player into playoff games without giving her some time in the final regular-season matches.
“I personally think it’s irresponsible to just throw in your franchise player into the playoffs without having any regular-season games at the end of the season,” DeMita said.
The Fever face a tough decision ahead-balancing the risk of rushing Clark back against the need to compete in the playoffs.
Fever’s playoff push gives Clark time to prepare
Indiana currently holds the eighth spot in the standings with a 21-20 record and three games remaining in the regular season. Fortunately for the team, their remaining schedule is relatively favorable compared to some other playoff hopefuls like Seattle, Golden State, and Los Angeles.
Based on strength of schedule rankings from Tankathon, Indiana’s upcoming opponents have a .516 difficulty rating, which is lighter than Seattle’s .570, Golden State’s .586, and Los Angeles’s .560.
Many experts anticipate the Fever will secure a playoff spot after their recent victories over Seattle and Los Angeles.
ESPN’s projections estimate the Fever finishing with approximately a 23-21 record.
Meanwhile, the Atlanta Dream, who are in contention for the second seed, have the easiest remaining schedule, rated at .367, facing teams like the Connecticut Sun and the Sparks twice each.
Indiana will likely have to contend with the Dream and Washington Mystics as they progress toward the postseason.
This season, the Fever are 2-2 against Atlanta, including a win on the road. The Dream present a winnable matchup that could give Indiana some breathing room to finalize Clark‘s return.
If the Fever can overcome Atlanta, they will be eager to have their star guard back on the court for the subsequent rounds. But before that can happen, Indiana still needs to focus on the final stretch of their season and Clark‘s rehabilitation.
Read the full article here
