Caitlin Clark left Tuesday night time’s 85-77 victory by the Indiana Fever over the Connecticut Solar at TD Backyard with an obvious groin harm that occurred within the closing minute.
Indiana coach Stephanie White confirmed Clark “felt slightly one thing in her groin” and that she can be evaluated “and see what occurs from there.” The harm occurred after Clark accomplished a bounce move to teammate Kelsey Mitchell for a layup with about 40 seconds remaining.
Clark held the within of her proper thigh earlier than strolling over and banging her head in opposition to the stanchion in obvious frustration. She was visibly emotional as she went to the Fever bench, putting a towel over her head.
Earlier than this season, Clark had by no means sat out a recreation in her faculty or professional profession. Her second WNBA season has been riddled by accidents, lacking 9 regular-season video games this summer time.
Clark first sat out a preseason recreation due to quad tightness. She was later sidelined 5 video games throughout Might and June due to a left quad pressure, then missed one other two-week stretch from late June to early July due to a groin harm on her left aspect.
Clark made her return from that earlier harm lower than every week in the past in a loss to the visiting Golden State Valkyries.
Requested postgame concerning the bodily play Clark faces nightly, White responded that “there is a stage of physicality that they are in a position to play with in opposition to her.”
“I knew it as an opponent, and I see it as her coach,” White mentioned. “I am not precisely certain why, but it surely simply is what it’s, and we have got to assist her study to regulate and use it in opposition to them in sure methods.”
Indiana improved to 8-5 with Clark this season after going 4-5 with out her. She completed with 14 factors, 8 rebounds and seven assists in opposition to the Solar, together with 9 factors and two assists within the fourth quarter.
The 12-10 Fever will full the second leg of a back-to-back Wednesday after they face the defending champion New York Liberty in Brooklyn. Clark was named a participant in Friday’s 3-point contest earlier Tuesday. The WNBA All-Star Recreation might be performed on Saturday in Indiana.
“I feel we simply take it one step at a time,” White mentioned. “We’ll get some meals and get on the aircraft and begin speaking about New York. She’s being evaluated; we’ll see the place we’re with that.”
