After appearing in the first four games of the WNBA season, Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark was suddenly ruled out for Wednesday night’s matchup against the Portland Fire because of back soreness.
Clark has been dealing with the issue throughout the early part of the season, frequently taking brief moments during games to have her back adjusted, which has understandably raised concern among fans.
However, both head coach Stephanie White and Clark have continued to downplay the severity of the issue, and it does not appear to be anything long term.
The Fever announced Thursday that Clark has been listed as probable for Friday’s game against the Golden State Valkyries, setting her up to likely return to action after missing just one game.
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Clark did not practice on Tuesday, but she was still not listed on the Fever’s injury report entering Wednesday’s game, a decision that has since come under scrutiny because of the WNBA’s strict injury reporting policy.
The Fever could potentially face a fine or other punishment if the league determines the team violated protocol by waiting until just hours before tipoff to officially disclose Clark’s injury status.
“Not everyone that doesn’t practice or gets a pro day is on the injury report,” White said in response to the criticism. “She wasn’t on there earlier because we expected her to play.”
It is understandable for the Fever to take a cautious approach with Clark after she appeared in just 13 games last season because of a season-ending groin injury suffered before the All-Star break.
Now, through four games this season, Clark is averaging 24.3 points, 9.0 assists, and 5.0 rebounds per game. Indiana enters Friday night’s matchup with a 3-2 record.
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