When the Indiana Fever take the floor for their game against the Los Angeles Sparks on Wednesday night, they hope to have superstar guard Caitlin Clark back in the lineup.
Clark has not played since June 24, when she exited the contest against the Phoenix Mercury early due to a back injury. Clark has missed two games in total since that injury.
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Clark’s early exit came in the third quarter of the same game in which and after she was hit with multiple cheap shots from Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas, which led to a one-game suspension for Thomas.
On Tuesday afternoon, Clark offered an injury update that revealed what the plan is for her on Wednesday night against the Sparks.
MORE: Caitlin Clark jealousy narrative fed by WNBA All-Star voting
Caitlin Clark was listed as probable on the Fever injury report on Tuesday, which means she has a good chance to play.
When speaking to reporters during practice on Tuesday, Clark said she was “hopeful” she would return to the lineup against the Sparks but said she would likely be on a minutes restriction if she does play.
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Clark also noted that she is unlikely to play both games of the back-to-back, which means we probably won’t see Clark and Thomas on the same floor again on Thursday, when the Mercury host the Fever.
“Very hopeful for (Wednesday). Obviously, I think it will be difficult for me to play both this one on Wednesday then the one on Thursday, but we’ll see,” she said. “Just getting back into it, I would assume I’d be on a minutes restriction (Wednesday), hopefully a little bit over 20 (minutes) if I’m able to go, and I feel like I will be if practice goes well (on Tuesday).
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“With it being a back-to-back, it’s obviously kind of tough to get back into it, but hopefully I feel good after the game versus L.A., then be available in Vegas (on July 12), and then feel pretty positive going from there once we get back home as well.”
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The Thursday night contest between Indiana and Phoenix will be the last meeting between the two teams this season, barring a meeting in the playoffs, which is possible with Indiana sitting in a playoff spot and Phoenix just a few games out of one.
But if Clark doesn’t suit up on Thursday and the Mercury fail to make the playoffs, we won’t see Clark and Thomas on the same floor again until 2027.
When: Wednesday, July 8 at 10 p.m. ET
Where: Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
Watch: USA Network, CNBC
