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Caitlin Clark will not play in the Indiana Fever's game against the Los Angeles Sparks on Thursday night due to a left groin injury, the team announced. Head coach Stephanie White shared that she learned of the injury late Wednesday evening after Clark underwent an MRI.
"It's very much a day-to-day situation based on how she responds to treatment," White said on Thursday when asked about a potential timeline for Clark's return.
Clark has been a consistent presence on the court throughout her career, having never missed a game during her college years or her rookie WNBA season until earlier this month. Just over a week ago, she returned from a left quad injury that had sidelined her for five games between May 28 and June 10. During that stretch, the Fever went 2-3 without her.
Since rejoining the lineup, Clark has averaged 17.8 points over five games. She made an immediate impact with a 32-point performance against the New York Liberty, handing the defending champions their first loss of the season. She hit seven three-pointers in that game, but her shooting has cooled off in recent outings. In her last three games, Clark has made just one of her 23 attempts from beyond the arc. The Fever have lost two of those three games.
Clark also missed Indiana's first preseason game on May 3 with a left leg issue. When she suffered the quad injury, White clarified that it was unrelated to the earlier preseason problem. It remains unclear whether this current groin injury is connected to her previous leg issues or if she may be out for an extended period.
In her first nine games this season, Clark is averaging 18.2 points on 39 percent shooting, with 29.5 percent from three-point range. She is also contributing 8.9 assists and 5.6 rebounds per game.
Following Thursday night's home game against the Sparks, the Fever will travel to Dallas to face the Wings on Friday. Coach White said the tight turnaround is a factor in considering Clark's availability but added, "She has shown she's tough and a quick healer, so we'll see."
After Friday's game, Indiana will have five days off before hosting the Las Vegas Aces next Thursday.
