​When the Indiana Fever hit the floor for their game against the Los Angeles Sparks on Wednesday night, they’re hoping superstar guard Caitlin Clark will be back in the lineup. Clark has not played since June 24, when she exited the contest against the Phoenix Mercury early due to a back injury. She has missed two games in total since that injury. Clark’s early exit came in the third quarter of that same game after taking a series of cheap shots from Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas, an incident that led to a one-game suspension for Thomas. On Tuesday afternoon, Clark provided an injury update that outlined the plan for the Wednesday night matchup with the Sparks.
Clark was listed as probable on the Fever injury report, indicating a good chance she will play. Speaking with reporters at practice on Tuesday, she said she was hopeful about returning to the lineup against Los Angeles but cautioned that she would likely be on a minutes restriction if she did play. She also noted that it would be unlikely for her to participate in both games of the back-to-back, which means we probably won’t see Clark and Thomas together on the floor again Thursday when the Mercury host the Fever.
“Very hopeful for Wednesday. Obviously, I think it will be difficult for me to play both this one on Wednesday and the one on Thursday, but we’ll see,” Clark said. “Just getting back into it, I would assume I’d be on a minutes restriction on Wednesday, hopefully a little bit over 20 minutes if I’m able to go, and I feel like I will be if practice goes well on Tuesday.”
She added that returning after a back-to-back is challenging, but she hopes to feel good after the game against Los Angeles and be available for the next game in Las Vegas on July 12, with a positive outlook as they return home.
“With it being a back-to-back, it’s obviously kind of tough to get back into it, but hopefully I feel good after the game versus L.A., then be available in Vegas, and then feel pretty positive going from there once we get back home as well.”
The Thursday night tilt between Indiana and Phoenix will be the final meeting between the two teams this season unless they meet again in the playoffs. Indiana currently sits in a playoff position, while Phoenix is a few games out, leaving open the possibility of another postseason clash. However, if Clark does not suit up on Thursday and the Mercury miss the playoffs, we won’t see Clark and Thomas share the floor again until 2027.
When: Wednesday, July 8 at 10 p.m. ET
Where: Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
Watch: USA Network, CNBC
This matchup carries significant implications for both teams as they navigate the midseason grind. For Indiana, the presence of Clark could provide a critical scoring lift and help stabilize their offense as they chase a stable playoff perch. For Los Angeles, getting Clark back, even on a minutes-restricted basis, would add a dynamic threat to counter their own roster’s strengths and help set the tone in a pivotal Western Conference clash. The decision on Clark’s availability will likely hinge on how she responds to Tuesday’s practice and how she feels after warming up prior to tip-off, as the Fever seek to maximize their depth while managing her workload in a back-to-back situation.