Caitlin Clark has nothing to celebrate despite winning her last game after yet another bad night

Another off night leaves fans wondering what’s really going on

Caitlin Clark’s recent performance continues to fall short of expectationsAP

It was another bittersweet night for Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever. The team secured a 94-86 win over the Seattle Storm, but Clark managed only six points in 31 minutes and missed nearly every long distance shot for the second game in a row. A win’s a win, but for her? There’s nothing to celebrate.

This cold streak feels uncharacteristic. Clark has consistently delivered 20+ points and drained threes from all over the court. Yet tonight? Nothing but clank after clank. Fans could feel it the rhythm was missing, and every miss seemed to weigh heavier than the last.

Caitlin Clark’s toughest stretch yet in a Fever jersey

It gets more concerning when you factor in the recent collisions with Jacy Sheldon and Marina Mabrey which even drew a fine after teammate Sophie Cunningham defended Clark, calling it “dirty basketball.” Cunningham felt refs are letting these plays slide on Clark, saying it’s “direct violence” and “personal.”

Whether those hits shook her confidence or game hasn’t been confirmed, but the timing couldn’t hurt.

Still, the Fever found a way. Aliyah Boston exploded for 31 points, and Kelsey Mitchell chipped in 26, helping the team hold strong even as Clark struggled. Their effort underlines one truth: this is a team sport, and when your star is off, someone else steps up.

But what’s next for Clark? The upcoming game must feel like a lifeline. The Fever face theLos Angeles Sparks on Thursday, June 26 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, with tip-off at 7 PM ET airing on Prime Video. It’s another chance for Clark to rediscover her deep shot, start hitting free again, and show that the personal violence against her has no lasting effect.

This rough patch is tough on Clark, tough on Fever fans, and tough on anyone who believes in her talent. Maybe it was bound to happen eventually but bad days are just that: days. She’s built for more, and something stronger is bound to come out of this.

Caitlin Clark long-term injury worry emerges as Stephanie White left in dark

Caitlin Clark could have long-term injury concerns, as the Indiana Fever star is out with a groin injury, leaving Stephanie White and the rest of the coaching staff in the dark

Caitlin Clark suffered yet another injury with Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White left in the dark(Image: Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Caitlin Clark is set to miss more time after sustaining a groin injury that has Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White in the dark.

On Thursday, it was announced that the Fever’s star guard would miss more time with another ailment, after initially missing five games with a quad injury. While Clark missed time, White gave the 23-year-old a special assignment, scouting the team’s offense to have it run as efficiently as possible with or without her.

After missing five games, Clark played in the Fever’s last five games, though it appears she could be out for some time. The star was diagnosed with a groin injury, missing Indiana’s matchup with the Los Angeles Sparks, and White did not disclose the results of the MRI Clark received.

If it is serious enough, groin strains could last multiple weeks and considering how Clark was coming off another injury, the Fever head coach could be hesitant in rushing her star back. Speaking to reporters Thursday, White gave more insight on the most recent injury.

“Yeah, late last night,” White shared. “I think it’s very much a day-to-day thing, how she responds to treatment. You know, I kind of, I stay in my lane and let our strength and conditioning and our physical, our AT staff do what they do best. But yeah, I found out late last night and then we’ll treat it day-to-day.”

White added that while playing back-to-back games for the Fever was not something she envisioned was the reason for Clark’s most recent injury. In the same breath, the 48-year-old believed Clark was a “quick healer” and a “strong” player in the wake of yet another injury.

White concluded that the star guard’s pain could have developed throughout the day, with no particular action or incident causing the flare-up. “It had to have been at some point during the day because they took her out yesterday, you know, for the MRI. So I’m not exactly sure. I didn’t hear about it until we heard from our training staff last night,” she continued.

For Clark, the injury comes as she was in the midst of arguably her worst stretch of basketball. In her last three games, Clark has only averaged 12.0 points on 27.7 percent shooting from the field, playing 33.5 minutes per night with Indiana losing two of their last three.

Of note, Clark shot 1 of 23 from beyond the arc, good for a .043 percent conversion mark from 3-point land. Her lone make came against the Las Vegas Aces, a game where she shot 1 of 10 from beyond the arc.

With Clark set to be sidelined for an undetermined amount of time, the star guard could continue scouting the team, much like she had done before.

Speaking to reporters in mid-June, Clark explained what White had her do as she observed the Fever and their offensive tendencies. “That’s basically what I was tracking the most while I was on the bench. And I think as a point guard, it gives you good perspective of, you know, you have to be aware of sequence in games,” she said at the time.

“I think as a point guard, it was just a really good learning opportunity for me, just being on the bench over there and understanding that when you’re on the court, everything’s moving so fast. There’s so many different things you’re trying to read and understand and watch your teammates, and watch the defense and all those different things.

“And when you’re off to the side on the bench, it’s a little easier to process that type of stuff. I think I learned a lot and hopefully I can carry that over to now being back on the court.”