Caitlin Clark had to deal with not just the intense opening schedule and high expectations at the beginning of her WNBA career, but also another huge obstacle on Monday night: her left ankle.
In the second quarter of the Indiana Fever’s 88-84 loss to the Connecticut Sun, rookie guard and No. 1 draft pick Clark, who has been the focus of relentless defensive attention during her transition to the professional game, rolled her ankle. The injury left Clark sprawled on the court and clutching her ankle in pain.
Helping herself to her feet, Clark was unable to stand and limped straight to the changing area. Gainbridge Fieldhouse’s sellout home crowd quieted down as Clark’s teammates gathered around her. Her coach held her breath in the interim.
Christie Sides of Indiana remarked, “I was worried.” “A lot.”
It was only the most recent setback for Clark as she began her much awaited debut season. However, just as Clark has maintained her poise in the face of prior difficulties, she also overcame the ankle injury, coming back for the second half to lead the Fever (0-4) in a late run that put them in position to almost pull off a shock and win for the first time.
After scoring 17 points with five assists, Clark played down her ankle issue, saying, “Every basketball player has had an ankle injury.” “I suppose you’re not a real baller if you haven’t. I’m not sure. Though a little stiff, I should be fine.
The Sun and New York Liberty are both skilled teams with a combined record of 7-0, and the Fever have now suffered two losses against them. Both the losses and some frustration are growing. However, Indiana played its most competitive game to that point on Monday, and Clark’s efforts significantly increased the level of intrigue in the fourth quarter.
With 7:17 remaining, she made a 33-foot 3-pointer to give the Fever a 70-68 lead. The shot was a classic Clark bucket that brought back memories of her time at Iowa. It was also the second-longest by a WNBA player this season and her longest as a pro. As expected, it set off a frenzied reaction in a crowd that had been anticipating one of Clark’s monumental performances and had come seeking for an excuse to let go.
Later on, Clark maintained offensive control by accelerating the play and creating opportunities for post players Temi Fagbenle and Aliyah Boston. In the end, the Fever wasted chances to tie the game, such as a tying layup that Boston missed in the closing seconds.
Regarding her three-pointer, Clark remarked, “I think it was a big shot.” “It energized the fans and gave us some impetus. Our audience was fantastic. This one hurts a lot because we were right there and had enough of chances to go win the game, and then you don’t, in my opinion. You could see the development that this team is making.”
Sides found comfort in Clark’s management of the injury to his ankle. Clark had his ankle re-taped by a trainer shortly after he left the court, and he soon went back to the bench to try to rejoin the action.
As Sides put it, “She’s tough.” “She didn’t want outside assistance from anyone. That’s something I adore about her. I adore that she is all about that. She picked herself up and took the necessary actions to regain her position in the game.”
Clark missed the last 5:29 of the second quarter due to sitting, but she was just as focused when she came back for the third. With 3:37 remaining, she had just spoken some tough words to an official when she was called for a technical foul, demonstrating her intensity like never before.
A hint of annoyance, she admitted.
The defensive play of Sun guard DiJonai Carrington, who surrounded Clark the entire game and thwarted Clark’s several attempts to make her signature step-back 3-pointers, probably added to Clark’s displeasure.
If Indiana is to finish games like Monday’s, a number of things will need to alter, including the Fever’s 17 turnovers and massive foul differential (24 to 13).
Veteran guard Kelsey Mitchell stated, “I think every team that we play against has an identity, and… we have to establish that.” “We don’t have one, in my opinion, and I hate to say that. That’s probably what we should do next. Our next task, in my opinion, should be to decide who we want to be. Not simply what the world and social media say, but also what we are truly capable of being.”
The Fever will now play three away games in four days, starting on Wednesday against the Seattle Storm.
