The Indiana Fever will play against the Atlanta Dream on Friday at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The Fever have had a rollercoaster of a season so far, winning just nine of 19 games in the early going. Caitlin Clark and Co. are coming off a two-game losing streak to face a talented Atlanta Dream squad that’s hoping to hold onto first place in the East.
Atlanta sits at 12-7 and is looking strong heading into the matchup. Allisha Gray and Rhyne Howard will be leading the charge for Dream, whereas it will be Clark and Aliyah Boston for Indy.
Speaking of the reigning ROTY, Clark has not had much luck with injuries this year. After a sensational rookie season where she didn’t miss a single game, Clark was expected to shatter records in Year 2. However, she has had trouble with multiple injuries this season, missing 10 games for the Fever.
Caitlin Clark Is Expected To Play Against the Atlanta Dream
There are no players listed on Indiana’s injury report. This means that the 23-year-old superstar will be available to play against the Dream tonight, and the Fever will also be at their full strength.
Before the game against the Golden State Valkyries, Clark missed five games in a row due to a groin injury. The Fever won three games during that period, against the likes of the Minnesota Lynx, Las Vegas Aces, and Dallas Wings.
Clark returned to play against her former Iowa teammate Kate Martin, but things didn’t go well for Indy. Head coach Stephanie White’s decision to try out a new starting five did not go according to plan, when Aari McDonald and Kelsey Mitchell started alongside Clark.
The lineup of three guards was exposed by the Valkyries, who just seemed larger in the paint and found it easy to create space across the floor. Indiana could not stop Veronica Burton’s three-pointers. She hit 5-of-6 from beyond the arc, scoring 21 points on the night.
MORE: Despite Injury, Tyrese Haliburton Makes Time for Clark’s Return
Clark, on the other hand, had a night to forget. She shot just 4-of-12 and went 2-of-5 from deep. It certainly did not look like Clark was at her usual best on the night, scoring just 10 points. Mitchell could not build momentum offensively, making just three of her 13 attempts.
The Fever will be aiming to bounce back from the previous two losses as they are stuck in eighth place (league-wide) entering Friday. They will have to start racking up some wins to make the playoffs, as it will be a massive disappointment if they fail to do so even after all the offseason additions.
Averaging 19.2 points and 8.4 assists, Clark will be looking to gain some heat as well. She did not play in the last game against the Dream. Making an impact for Indiana would help get the Fever in the win column and calm nerves about her road back from injury.
