On Tuesday night, the Indiana Fever will take on the Toronto Tempo at 7 p.m. ET at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Fever superstar Caitlin Clark is currently on the injury report, so the big question is: will she suit up against the Tempo 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 12 of their 13 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. “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 (like what happened prior to the game against the Fire), the superstar should be able to play through the back soreness.
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 had a wrap around her back when she returned. She later explained that she had to have her “back adjusted.” 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 20.3 points, 7.8 assists, 4.6 rebounds, 2.7 3-pointers, and 0.8 steals per game. She remains the WNBA’s most popular player and the face of the league.
The Fever are currently 8-5, which is the third-best record in the Eastern Conference behind only the New York Liberty (10-4) and Atlanta Dream (9-4). The 7-7 Tempo are right behind the Fever in the East standings.
After Clark and White made headlines for their heated sideline exchange earlier in the season, Indiana has found its groove and won three straight games.
