The Indiana Fever have had a moderate start to the 2026 WNBA season. Through their first seven games, they hold a 4-3 record and are looking to get back on track after a narrow 90-88 loss to the Golden State Valkyries on May 28.
As they prepare to face the Portland Fire on Saturday night, one question is on the minds of Fever fans, and that is whether Caitlin Clark will play in Saturday’s game or not.
Current Status of Caitlin Clark Before Saturday’s Game Against the Portland Fire
According to the latest injury report from ESPN, there is some concerning news for Indiana supporters, as Clark has been listed as probable due to a back issue ahead of the matchup against the Fire.
Status Report for tomorrow’s game at Portland:
Caitlin Clark – Probable (back) pic.twitter.com/TP9g8rJX3t
— Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever) May 30, 2026
While being listed as probable means she still has a good chance of playing, her appearance is not completely guaranteed. The injury situation has already been a talking point this season.
Clark previously missed Indiana’s May 20 game against the Portland Fire because of the same back problem. Interestingly, she was not included on the team’s original injury report before that game. She was later ruled out shortly before tipoff. For this, the WNBA issued a warning to the Fever organization for not properly updating her injury status in advance.
Clark later suggested that fans may continue to see her name on injury reports going forward. This is a sign that managing minor physical issues could become a regular part of her season.
“At this point, maybe I’ll need to be listed as soreness on every injury report. If I don’t feel a hundred percent confident in my body on game five of the year, I don’t know if that’s really worth it in that scenario … I’m sore. That’s just the reality of it,” Clark said during an interview.
Clark has appeared in six games so far this season and is averaging 22.5 points, 8.5 assists, and 4.3 rebounds per game. If Clark is unable to play on Saturday, Indiana will likely lean heavily on Kelsey Mitchell and Aliyah Boston, who are averaging 21.1 and 15.5 points per game, respectively.
A Look at the Condition of the Portland Fire Squad
According to the latest injury report from ESPN, two Fire players are currently listed on the injury report. They are:
- Bridget Carleton – Probable (Back Issue)
- Jordan Harrison – Probable
The Fire have been one of the early surprises of the season. They are one of the returning franchises that rejoined the WNBA this year (the team last played back in 2002), and they currently have a record of 5-4 in the league, which is not bad.
Portland’s offense has been led by Carla Leite and Sug Sutton, who are averaging 15.6 and 11.3 points per game, respectively, and are expected to provide a tough challenge for the Fever defense.
The game will be played at the Moda Center in Portland and tips off at 8:00 PM ET on Saturday.
