Tonight, the Indiana Fever will host the Phoenix Mercury at 7:30 p.m. ET at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The game will be broadcast nationally on USA Network.
Fever superstar Caitlin Clark is currently on the injury report, so the big question is: will she suit up against the Mercury or will she sit out?
Why Is Caitlin Clark On the Injury Report, and Will She Play Today?
Clark is listed as probable with a back injury, so all signs point to her playing tonight. The Fever listing Clark as probable with the back issue is nothing new, and she has ultimately suited up in 16 of their 17 games this season.
The lone game she missed was on May 20 against the Portland Fire, and it was also due to back soreness. The Fever received a warning from the WNBA since Clark was ruled out hours before tipoff despite not being included on the team’s injury report. To comply with league rules, Fever head coach Stephanie White revealed that Clark will likely be a fixture on the injury report going forward given her consistent back soreness and stiffness.
“Just to make sure that there’s clarity and no issues with league policy, I think that we will [list Clark as probable],” White said at the time. “You can expect to see it probable going forward.”
Clark added: “At this point, maybe I’ll need to be listed as soreness on every injury report.”
That is essentially what Indiana has opted to do, so don’t panic when you see Clark’s name on the injury report. Barring a last-minute change, the superstar is expected to play through the back soreness, just as she did on Monday when the Fever defeated the Mercury 86-77. Clark finished that game with 24 points, 9 assists, 3 rebounds, and 3 triples, while shooting 47.1% from the field, 30.0% from 3-point range, and 83.3% from the free-throw line. It was Clark’s sixth straight game with at least 20 points and 5 assists, which is a new WNBA record.
While it’s unclear when Clark initially suffered this back injury, she has been managing it since the Fever’s season-opener against the Dallas Wings. She briefly exited that game to head to the locker room and she returned with a wrap around her back. She later explained that she had to have her “back adjusted.” At the time, White told reporters that managing Clark’s back injury will be an “ongoing thing.”
Despite her lingering back issues, Clark has been one of the best players in the WNBA this season, averaging 21.3 points, 8.2 assists, 4.3 rebounds, 2.6 3-pointers, and 0.8 steals, while shooting 42.6% from the field, 33.1% from 3-point range, and 84.5% from the free-throw line.
The Fever are currently 10-7, which is the third-best record in the Eastern Conference behind only the Atlanta Dream (12-4) and New York Liberty (12-6). The Mercury are 5-13, which is the second-worst record in the Western Conference.
