The gruelling showdown between the two evenly matched teams, Indiana Fever and Golden State Valkyries attracted approximately 16,798 spectators on the Gainbridge Fieldhouse arena. All to watch their favorite Fever superstar, Caitlin Clark play on the hardwood again. The reigning rookie was sidelined for the second time this season, owing to a left groin injury.

What started as a dominant game for the Fever, soon turned miserable after Clark’s first quarter injury scare. And soon after, the team started losing momentum. They heavily struggled to create or capitalize on opportunities and ultimately fell short with just 9 points in the second quarter. And what was supposed to become Clark’s second comeback turned into despair as the entire roster slipped to an 81-60 defeat against the Valkyries.

So, instead of blaming the coaching staff, Clark came clean in a post-game interview. In a recent post by national reporter, Angela Moryan, the athlete admitted to collective locker room struggles. Moryan posted a picture of Clark on X (former Twitter) with a caption, “Caitlin Clark says she’s feeling good after her first game back from injury. Says it will take some time to “get her wind back and her legs under her,” but that will come with time.”

“It starts with defense. We struggled scouting report wise,” Clark said after the heavy loss. “We struggled personnel. We struggled doing what the coaches asked of us. It’s every single person on our team. Nobody played well.” Clark pointed out at the collective loss and emphasised on the fact that the team failed to comply with the instructions provided by HC Stephanie White and the staff.

While Clark managed 10 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists for the roster, Kelsey Mitchell became a standout athlete with the highest of 12 points. Mitchell even managed 3 rebounds and committed 3 ball turns for the roster. On the other hand, Lexi Hull added a maximum of 9 rebounds to the Fever. And despite having just 14 turnovers as compared to 17 by the Valkyries, the team only managed to concede 6 points as the opponents used the opportunity to score a whopping 12 points.

This underwhelming performance by the Fever further pushed the locker room in their 10th loss of the season. Besides, the third ranked team in the Eastern division stands one step closer to the winning edge in the overall league rankings, with just .474 chances of clinching the title this season. The team’s chances of surviving in the regular games look bleak as Clark & Co. focus on the upcoming All-Star games.

Caitlin Clark fulfils Captain duties ahead of the 2025 All-Star

The 2025 WNBA All-Star games are just around the corner. But the games have already faced their share of drama. Even before the actual games began! And this weekend was no different. As an All-Star team captain, Indiana Fever player Caitlin Clark had a duty to fulfil before the games commence on the July 18-19th weekend.

“I thought I got a well-balanced team. I tried to go for some of the younger players that might want to go up and down and run a little bit more,” Clark said after a successful All-Star draft. Only in her second year with the pros, Clark’s immense influence has had a positive impact on the league.

Moreover, the official Indiana Fever fever account took to Instagram and updated fans with the All-Star draft. “Captain Clark reporting on duty,” the account wrote along side an image of Clark posing with the All-Star draft board. Team Clark includes starters Aliyah Boston, Sabrina Ionescu, A’ja Wilson, Satou Sabally, and the captain herself.

Moreover, the seven reserves include players Kelsey Mitchell, Gabby Williams, Sonia Citron, Kiki Iriafen, Jackie Young and Kayla Thornton. On the other hand, the other team includes Napheesa Collier as the captain. Her team too includes power-packed athletes like Paige Bueckers, Breanna Stewart, Allisha Gray, Nneka Ogwumike, and the captain as starters.

The All-Star event is an annual mid-season exhibition that showcases fan’s favorite athletes under one roof. To be held in Indianapolis this year, the two-day event includes a multitude of basketball-related games, where fans too get a chance to participate and engage with their favorite celebrities from the league.