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Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark left Tuesday night’s game in the final minute, holding back tears after grabbing at her leg—an apparent injury that would be her third this season.
Clark walked back downcourt holding her right groin after assisting on the Fever’s final basket of an 85-77 victory over the Connecticut Sun in front of a sold-out crowd of 19,156 at the TD Garden in Boston. As teammate Aliyah Boston tried to console her, Clark walked to the basket stanchion and banged her head against it before heading to the bench. During the timeout, she covered her head with a towel and appeared to be holding back tears.
“No update. Just felt a little something in her groin,” Fever coach Stephanie White said after the game. “We’ll get it evaluated and see what happens from there.”
Clark, who has already missed nine games this season for two separate left leg injuries, is scheduled to participate in Friday night’s 3-point contest as part of the WNBA All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis. Then, on Saturday, she is expected to play in the All-Star game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse as captain of her personally chosen team.
More immediately, the Fever play Wednesday night in New York against the Liberty at the Barclays Center—their second straight game in an NBA arena—in their last regular-season game before the All-Star break.
An injury, depending on its severity, could put her participation in all three of those events in jeopardy. She was listed as questionable for Wednesday night’s game by the Fever on Wednesday afternoon.
Clark struggled with her shooting in a rare WNBA game at the home of the Celtics and Bruins, scoring 14 points while making 4 of 14 shots. She committed five turnovers and made her only 3-pointer in seven tries with just three minutes left, giving the Fever a nine-point lead that was their biggest of the game.
She also added seven assists and eight rebounds for the Fever, who pulled away in the fourth quarter with Clark scoring nine points in the period.
The second-year phenom was not available to reporters after the game. The Fever were scheduled to play the New York Liberty on Wednesday night at the Barclays Center—their second straight game in an NBA arena.
“Certainly we’ll have another evaluation, probably a conversation, and we’ll see where we are,” White said. “But this group has played without her. At least we’ve got experience in that.”
Clark’s struggles didn’t dampen the mood for the fans who filled the Garden to see New England’s only WNBA team play in Boston for the second year in a row. Both have been sellouts—the biggest crowds to see a basketball game in the building’s history.
And this year, it was the visiting Indiana Fever and their breakout star that most of them were there to see.
“It’s a great opportunity for people in the city, or fans around the area, to come and support a team here,” Clark said before the game. “You don’t take these opportunities for granted. It’s always fun to go to a new arena in a new place and enjoy it.”
Fans wearing Clark’s No. 22 crowded toward the court before the game trying to get her autograph, waving her jersey or homemade signs begging for a selfie. Among those in attendance were Celtics Jaylen Brown and Georges Niang, Bruins Jeremy Swayman and Mason Lohrei, Red Sox pitcher Lucas Giolito and Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey.
Clark said before the game that she took time to appreciate the opportunity to play in a building where so much basketball lore had been written. The Iowa native said she grew up respecting the Celtics as an organization, even though she now counts herself an Indiana Pacers fan.
“The Celtics are one of the premier organizations of the NBA,” she said. “And having won a championship two years ago now, it’s kind of cool to just be in this building and surround yourself with the greatness that has played in this arena.”
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Start of the decline!!!
Ok!!!
Seriously? Seems if she just looks at the court she gets injured.
You watched a game yet? When she looks at the floor she gets body checked from behind or gets poked in the eye, etc…
I think the stat is; she had never missed a game due to injury prior to this year, and as JJ points out, every time she “looks at the court” she is being physically hammered.
You might want to sit this one out