The Indiana Fever entered the season with high expectations, as Caitlin Clark and a new-look roster were expected to be significantly better than they were a season ago. However, after Clark went down with an injury, which kept her out for five games due to a left quad injury, things didn’t exactly go as planned. The Fever, currently sitting at 5-5 after beating the 9-1 New York Liberty on Saturday afternoon, can turn things around if Clark is healthy and on the court.
If Saturday proved anything, it’s that Clark isn’t only healthy but is up to her standards already. The quad injury didn’t seem to impact her much out on the court on Saturday, as she dropped 32 points, shooting 55% from the field and 50% from 3-point range on 14 attempts. She also added eight rebounds and nine assists for good measure.
Caitlin Clark Talks About Injury
When speaking to reporters after the game, including ESPN, Clark admitted that once she saw a couple of shots go in, she felt her confidence come back. However, more importantly, she spoke about her injury, and she said her “legs felt really strong.”
“I saw three in a row go in, so that gives you a lot of confidence,” Clark said. “Even in the second half, they all came off my hand feeling really good.”
“My legs felt really strong, I felt in good shape,” she said. “A lot of that is credit to our medical team. They have kept me in shape. Now for me, it’s just how I recover, especially with the schedule that we have coming up.”
How Caitlin Clark Impacts Fever on Court
Clark has already broken multiple records in the WNBA and looks to have the potential to be an all-time great, if not the best player to ever list them up.
When speaking to reporters, Stephanie White talked about what she does on the court, adding that when the Indiana Fever have her, it’s always great to see the performances she can put up.
“Don’t we always expect that kind of game from Caitlin?” White said. “I knew her adrenaline was going to be high to start. She’s been itching to get back out there. [Her scoring] carried us in the first half, and then everybody else carried us in the second half. Her decision-making was outstanding; she did a really good job of getting everybody involved, and that’s what she does.”
Indiana Looks to Turn Season Around With Caitlin Clark Back
This is a step in the right direction for the Indiana Fever, who understand that they need to play much better than they have. With a few disappointing losses early in the season, the Fever needs to turn things around, and Clark will be the main reason for it if it happens.
They’ll have some challenging games coming up against the Connecticut Sun, Golden State Valkyries, and Las Vegas Aces, but those are three games the Fever can win.
“Emotionally, it’s a relief, it’s a lift,” White said. “The biggest thing is this team is resilient. It hasn’t been easy, and it’s not going to be. Winning is hard. You’ve got to go through the ups and downs, the ebbs and flows. This group, they stay together. They draw strength from one another, I draw strength from them. Every single day we take one step forward together, we’re building trust.”
Caitlin Clark Provides Important Injury Update After Fever Win Over Liberty