Caitlin Clark exits late in Fever win, clutching right groin area in pain
Indiana Fever All-Star guard Caitlin Clark helped seal the Fever’s third straight win but was forced out in the final minute after appearing to aggravate her groin area.
Caitlin Clark darted a bounce pass to find teammate Kelsey Mitchell cutting backdoor for a layup with 40 seconds left. Clark then immediately clutched the inside of her right thigh, near her groin area, and was in obvious pain.
A timeout was called by Connecticut, so she walked down to the opposite basket stanchion and hit her head against the padding in frustration. She then did her best to hold back tears as she stood just outside the team huddle. She put a Gatorade towel over her head, then placed both hands behind her head in frustration.
This is an elite athlete — the ultimate competitor — who just can’t catch a break.
Clark was replaced in the lineup by guard Sydney Colson for the final 39.3 seconds of the Indiana Fever’s 85–77 win over the Connecticut Sun. They improved to 12–10 on the season after winning three straight games for the first time.
“(She) just felt a little something in her groin,” head coach Stephanie White told reporters 20 minutes after the game. “We'll get it evaluated and see what happens from there.”
Now, the concern shifts to Clark — who battled a left quad strain in camp and has recently managed a left groin injury. This one appeared to affect her right side.
Here’s what happened:
Clark sank her first 3-pointer of the game with 3:02 left — part of a stretch where she scored nine consecutive points for her team. The crowd erupted and got what they paid to see.
This game wasn’t played in Connecticut. It was moved to TD Garden in Boston, and it was a sellout: 19,156 fans.
Clark finished 4 of 14 from the field for 14 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists. But she was unable to finish the game and was clearly in pain.
The Fever had five players in all reach double figures, led once again by Mitchell, who scored 20 points. Forward Natasha Howard posted her fifth double-double of the season with 18 points and 13 rebounds. They outscored the Sun 21-11 in fast break points.
Indiana is in the midst of a grueling part of their schedule. This was the first night of a road-road back-to-back that continues Wednesday in Brooklyn against the New York Liberty (14-6), who were at home, resting, with the night off.
“Certainly, we'll have another evaluation probably and conversation in the morning, see where we are,” White added. “But this group has played without her. At least we've got experience in that. We know that we have a tough opponent in New York. We know that it's going to be a challenge no matter what. And we just got to get locked in and ready to compete.”
Even despite this latest challenge for Clark, she was scheduled for a full weekend of events and appearances. She committed to participate in the 3-point contest for the first time and was the leading vote-getter for her second straight WNBA All-Star Game. And this one means even more because it’s being held in Indianapolis for the first time.
But now, again, her status is up in the air.
It was already unlikely she’d play in both games of the back-to-back, given all that her body has endured. They’ve had to be mindful of her minutes, limiting her to about seven-minute bursts each quarter.
Their schedule has been more demanding than others because of national TV appearances. Every network wants Fever games. Just over the past week — and looking ahead — they’ll appear on ION, ABC, ESPN, CBSSN, ESPN, Prime Video, and ABC again.
Plus this back-to-back.
Then the All-Star “break.”
And they’re back in Brooklyn two days later.
As much as Clark is the ultimate competitor, she must take whatever time is required to get her body healthy and back in sync.
Only then can Clark be Clark — at her fullest — again.
