Uncertainty continues for Fever and Caitlin Clark as her healthy teammates carry their playoff hopes
Then the two-time All-Star got hurt again in the final minute of last Tuesday's game at Connecticut. Indiana lost by double digits the next night to defending champion New York.
Clark missed last weekend's All-Star festivities in Indianapolis and is likely to sit out Tuesday night when the Fever again play the Liberty. It's all creating uncertainty about Clark and Indiana's championship aspirations.
'These soft tissue injuries sometimes nag until you can actually have time to really allow them to heal in the offseason,' Indiana coach Stephanie White said after Sunday's practice. 'So we'll just take it one day at a time and we'll continue, as a group, to progress together.'
Neither White nor Clark have provided a timetable for Clark's return.
As a rookie, Clark helped the Fever snap a six-year playoff drought and during the three-game winning streak before her latest injury, she had 40 points, 29 assists, six steals and 10 turnovers in 79 minutes.
Her name and that of the league's other superstars have packed arenas and been the focal point of broadcast deals.
Amid a rash of injuries, the WNBA needs its top players on the court more than ever. According to The Next, which tracks injuries in the league, there have been more than 140 injuries so far this season.
Those numbers fed into last weekend's debate over whether league officials should consider extending the season next year now that teams are playing 44 games instead of 40.
'I feel there's been quite a few injuries over the course of the beginning of this season for quite a few people,' Clark said Saturday, noting some injuries created minutes restrictions for other All-Star selections. 'A lot of people have been in the same boat as myself.'
Simply extending the season creates yet another problem — competing against the NFL and college football telecasts deeper into September. That's something that could be resolved in a new collective bargaining agreement.
Until then, though, Indiana must learn to deal with Clark's third absence this season, so far resulting in 10 missed games. Clark did not miss a single game in college or her rookie season with the Fever.
Indiana has maintained a winning record (12-11) and playoff positioning despite the injuries. The Fever were also able to win the Commissioner's Cup over Minnesota with a 74-59 win without Clark.
The team also overcame the departure of DeWanna Bonner, who lost her starting job after three games and played in only nine before being waived and returning to Phoenix.
And, of course, it took time for everyone to get on the same page following a massive offseason overhaul that included the hiring of a new general manager, Amber Cox; the return of White — Indiana's original No. 22; and the addition of other players with title-winning experience.
'I think it's been a rollercoaster ride with peaks and valleys, injuries, switching lineups,' three-time All-Star guard Kelsey Mitchell said. 'I think that's part of being a professional athlete. But I think you need to go through things like this to be one of the teams they talk about at the end of the season.'
The Fever believes it still can be one of those teams.
With Mitchell leading Indiana in scoring at 19.1 points per game and All-Star center Aliyah Boston showcasing a niftier passing game to go along with averages of 15.8 points and 7.6 rebounds, Indiana still has two of its foundational pillars on the court.
Indiana also has more options such as forward Natasha Howard and backup guard Sophie Cunningham to help fill in the gaps until Clark returns.
'Consistency, attention to detail, making sure defensively we're a beast unit,' Cunningham said as she identified other needed fixes. 'I think it all starts on the defensive end with our intensity and our aggressiveness. When we do that, we tend to win those ballgames. You're going to have a little bit of slippage every now and then, but you can't have landslides.'
Ultimately, though, the lingering question is whether Clark can stay healthy long enough to push Indiana into championship position.
'Working your way back into it is really difficult,' White said. 'She has to give herself some grace. She's coming back from an injury.'
___
AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Winnipeg Free Press
17 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Mike Vrabel ‘not messing around' as he prepares for 1st training camp as Patriots coach
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Mike Vrabel was hired as New England Patriots coach seven months ago to recalibrate a team that hasn't won a playoff game since its most recent Super Bowl win in the 2018 season, and has slumped to 4-13 finishes the past two seasons. Everything Vrabel has done, from hiring his coaching staff to building out the roster through free agency and the draft, has been about laying a foundation for his first season. As important as all those steps and initial spring workouts have been in the process, the work begins in earnest Wednesday with the start of training camp. He said his message to his new team will be simple. FILE - New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel listens to a question during an NFL football practice, June 9, 2025, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File) 'It's time to build a team,' Vrabel said. 'We have to start coming together as a football team.' Vrabel arrived at Foxborough having shared history with each of his two predecessors — winning two Super Bowls as a player under Bill Belichick and then playing his final season in New England alongside Belichick successor Jerod Mayo. When he was hired in January, Vrabel said his initial goal would be to put together a team capable of taking advantage of opponents when they play bad football. That's still an ongoing project, but one that he believes they've made headway on. 'We're closer than where we were in March or April when we got here. I think we are,' Vrabel said. 'I think the players are starting to understand. We talk about the good, the bad, and the (stuff) that gets you beat, and I think that they can tell the difference between those three now.' Special teamer Brenden Schooler, who earned his first All-Pro selection last season, said the no-nonsense vibe Vrabel has introduced is noticeable around the team facility. 'You're not scared, but you know he's not messing around,' Schooler said. One thing that has helped Vrabel make an early impression is that he won't be coaching any players that have links to the Patriots most recent run of success. Following the release of long snapper Joe Cardona in April, there are no remaining players on New England's roster that were on the 2018 Super Bowl team. As he begins the process of whittling down the 91 players that will begin camp, Vrabel said he wants to see them not just try to make the roster but carve out a role with the team. 'There's a lot of different levels to what those roles are, and in my 14-year career I've had plenty of them: from special teams, multiple-position backup, to starter, a starter that was expected to be productive, to a veteran leader,' Vrabel said. 'So, there's multiple levels of what that role will be, and it's up to them to earn it.'. No limits for Diggs Winnipeg Free Press | Newsletter Mike McIntyre | On Sports Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Receiver Stefon Diggs passed his physical and will be practicing without limitations nine months after undergoing season-ending knee surgery. 'It's just a testament to how hard he worked,' Vrabel said. 'Is he going to take every single rep of every single period? No, and I don't think any player will. But I think we're off to a good start and encouraged by what we saw here in the last couple of days.' A four-time Pro Bowl selection, Diggs had six straight 1,000-yard receiving seasons for the Vikings and Bills before he was traded from Buffalo to Houston last spring. He had 47 catches for 496 yards and three touchdowns in eight games for the Texans before he tore the ACL in his right knee in October. ___ AP NFL:
Winnipeg Free Press
17 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
49ers receiver Jauan Jennings reports to training camp seeking a new contract
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Jauan Jennings reported to training camp for the San Francisco 49ers as he seeks a new contract and the team expects him to be on the field when practice begins on Wednesday. General manager John Lynch said Tuesday that Jennings passed a physical when he reported for camp this week. 'I anticipate him being out there,' Lynch said. 'You guys know our feelings on JJ. He embodies what we think a Niner is all about. He plays the right way and we love him. We're not going to get into the contract talks and all that. That takes care of itself. We love him and he's here.' FILE - San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings, foreground, runs a drill during NFL football practice, May 29, 2025, in Santa Clara, Calif.. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File) Coach Kyle Shanahan said Jennings hasn't formally requested a trade. Jennings is entering the final season of a two-year, $15.4 million contract and is seeking a long-term extension before the season. Shanahan said he would like to be able to reach an extension with both Jennings and right tackle Colton McKivitz before the season. 'The way they feel about us is the same way we feel about them,' Shanahan said. 'That's the easy part. The hard part is the business side.' The Niners were hoping to avoid the contract distractions this summer after dealing with disputes with Nick Bosa, Brandon Aiyuk and Trent Williams the past two seasons that kept all of them out of training camp practices. They reached extensions early in the offseason with stars Brock Purdy, Fred Warner and George Kittle, but now have a potential issue with Jennings. The 2020 seventh-round pick has emerged as one of Purdy's most trusted options at wide receiver after having 77 catches for 975 yards and six TDs last season. With Deebo Samuel having been traded to Washington in March and Aiyuk working back from a knee injury, Jennings has a big role this season. 'It's extremely important obviously,' Purdy said about having Jennings at practice. 'I love JJ and what he brings to our team. Obviously we've had so much success together and anytime you see something like this going on, as a player let's figure out something so we can get back on the field.' Injury updates The Niners have several players starting camp in injury lists with the only expected long-term absences coming from players dealing with ACL injuries: Aiyuk, safety Malik Mustapha, linebacker Curtis Robinson and rookie quarterback Kurtis Rourke. Lynch said those players will likely start the season on injured lists but is hopeful they can return some time during the first half of the season. Receiver Ricky Pearsall, defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos and offensive lineman Andre Dillard all will start camp on the physically unable to perform list but are expected back on the field soon. Ben Bartch, who is in the mix to start at left guard, will also miss at least the first three days of camp on the non-football injury list after injuring his quadriceps working out on his own. Running back Christian McCaffrey and Williams are both 'here and healthy,' Shanahan said, but their work loads will be managed through camp after dealing with injuries last season. Winnipeg Free Press | Newsletter Mike McIntyre | On Sports Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Roster move With questions at receiver, the Niners signed Equanimeous St. Brown to add depth at the position following a tryout on Monday that featured six receivers. St. Brown, the brother of Detroit star Amon-Ra St. Brown, has 63 catches for 928 yards in 62 career games for Green Bay, Chicago and New Orleans. ___ AP NFL:
Toronto Star
an hour ago
- Toronto Star
Big Ten's Petitti: No support for SEC's at-large bid preference for College Football Playoff
LAS VEGAS (AP) — The Big Ten commissioner doubled down on the league's preference for multiple automatic qualifiers in the next version of the College Football Playoff on Tuesday, increasing the likelihood of a showdown with the Southeastern Conference when the format for 2026 is decided. At the league's football media days, Tony Petitti said any change that adds at-large bids and increases the discretion and role of a selection committee — a format the SEC and others have shown a preference for — 'will have a difficult time getting support of the Big Ten.'
