Caitlin Clark sidelined due to back injury as team fails to handle her workload.

Fever Without Caitlin Clark for Wednesday’s Game

The Fever are set to face a challenge on Wednesday as they will be without star guard Caitlin Clark, who sustained a back injury late in the game.

Head coach Stephanie White mentioned that Clark woke up on Wednesday feeling stiffness in her back. After her training session, the team decided to err on the side of caution and keep her out. However, White also noted that Clark had not practiced on Tuesday and was receiving treatment instead, which raises some questions about the timeline of events leading up to this decision.

“I woke up and felt some stiffness and pain,” White explained. “As I always say, how do you react after training? For us, this is not the time to take chances. We want to be really careful.”

Last season, the Fever were used to Clark being sidelined for various reasons, as she played in just 13 games due to injury. Still, coach White clarified that this situation is different, stating it’s a legitimate injury rather than a matter of managing Clark’s workload.

“No, absolutely not. We have no control over it,” she stated. “She’s healthy. We’re not managing anything. This is just a back issue, and we want to give her time to get ready.”

Interestingly, Clark wasn’t listed on the injury report concerning the back issue. There were no new injuries noted either. During the season opener, she had to step off to recalibrate multiple times.

On another note, Clark has repeatedly expressed that she feels physically good this season, especially after her previous struggles last season. “I feel good,” she remarked following a recent loss to the Mystics. “Of course I’m hurting, just like everyone else. And we have a day in between, so that’s what we’ll focus on tonight.”

Clark’s availability has been notable as well, especially in the busy lead-up to the season. She participated in all three games against the Sparks, Mystics, and Storm within a five-day span. In fact, Wednesday’s game marks the fourth match in just eight days, with another game scheduled for Friday following a six-day break.

Logically, one might think it would be wise for the Fever to manage Clark’s minutes and workload after her previous injury struggles. The addition of several guards this season and potential limitations on her playing time suggest the team is keen on preventing further issues.