Indiana currently has mixed feelings. On the one hand, they are celebrating their first NBA Finals in years, while they are also awaiting Caitlin Clark’s return from her quad injury. Their WNBA team has been reeling without Clark, going 2-3 without her.  It could have been even worse, but fortunately, they have faced some of the weaker teams like the Chicago Sky and Washington Mystics. 

The Fever gave the Connecticut Sun, who are comfortably the worst team in the league, their first win of the season. They had their worst loss of the season against the Atlanta Dream, losing by 19 points. The Stephanie White-coached side is struggling with creativity and scoring, so they desperately need their star sophomore back.  The Fever fans have received some good news from this national reporter, teasing her return for their next game against the New York Liberty. 

Tony East said on the Locked on Women’s Basketball Podcast, “Pacers who are in the NBA finals had a practice last week at their facility, and Caitlin was in their gym running on an elliptical, I think, or a treadmill, whatever it was, something. And that was only noteworthy for me because that was the first time I had seen her running at all like I’d seen her do a lot of jump shooting after practices and stuff like that, that those videos have circulated like crazy, but that was like, Oh okay, like that’s noteworthy.”

The Pacers’ deep run to the NBA Finals, their first since 2000, has Indianapolis buzzing with basketball pride. Sharing Gainbridge Fieldhouse and practice facilities with the Fever, the Pacers’ success feels intertwined with Clark’s recovery. Her courtside appearance during their Finals prep wasn’t just a rehab milestone, it was a moment that linked the city’s NBA and WNBA dreams, giving fans a glimpse of Clark’s comeback in the midst of a historic moment.

Second-year Fever star Caitlin Clark has been sidelined since sustaining a left quad strain on May 26. Head coach Stephanie White recently shared that Clark is ramping back up and participating in some practice. While she has been seen shooting around during practice sessions, the fact that she is now engaging in heavier cardio, such as running on a treadmill, is a promising development. This marks a key progression in her rehab, indicating she is moving beyond light shooting drills. This level of physical activity is a necessary step toward rejoining full practices and eventually returning to game play.

He further said, “You know, there’s like contact involved and conditioning and endurance and all sorts of it’s just not the same, but that was in my own head, a hurdle of like, oh okay, perhaps this is trending towards a sooner rather than later thing.”

Clark logs the most minutes of any player on the roster when fully healthy, averaging 35 minutes per game in her four appearances this season. That level of usage demands that she be in top physical condition before returning to competition. Quad injuries are notoriously tricky, often appearing to heal before flaring up again under physical stress. As a result, the Fever are proceeding with caution. 

Clark will continue to be evaluated closely before any decision is made about her availability for upcoming games. Throughout her recovery, both head coach Stephanie White and the team’s medical and management staff have consistently emphasized a long-term perspective. They are determined to avoid rushing her back prematurely and are committed to making sure her quad is fully healed. Clark shares this outlook, understanding that a thorough and patient recovery now is essential to avoid setbacks later in the season when the physical and mental demands of the schedule increase. The recent development is a good sign for her return, but it still doesn’t confirm her return for the game against Liberty.

Can Caitlin Clark Ignite a Revival for the Fever?

Everyone knew that the Indiana Fever would miss Caitlin Clark, but many underestimated how much. Without Clark, they have scored 8 fewer points on average while having 1.7 assists less per game. Their threat from beyond the arc has severely decreased despite Lexi Hull’s overperformance. That might not show in numbers, but the fact that Caitlin Clark can pull up from virtually anywhere on the court and make a shot certainly affects defenses.

Her return will be a big sigh of relief for the fans, but they will hope that she continues her form from before the injury. The Fever have dropped to below 50% win rate with their current record being 4-5. If she is in the same mojo, then Clark can certainly bring this team together. Many players have shown an increased level of individual performance in her absence. Kelsey Mitchell, who was struggling earlier, is back at her best.

When Clark was playing in May, Mitchell averaged just 29 percent from the three-point range and shot just 38.7 % from the field. She won the player of the week in the last week, where she led the Fever to a 2-0 record with 20.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game in Week 3. Lexi Hull has been a revelation this season, be it 3-point shooting or just bringing energy to the court, she has taken strides in her game. 

Clark is averaging 9.1 points per game this season, a notable jump of nearly four points from her previous average. Her offensive presence has clearly elevated the Fever’s backcourt production, but her impact extends beyond just scoring. Teammate Aliyah Boston, while experiencing a recent dip in form, played her best basketball of the season when Clark was on the court. 

The two developed strong on-court chemistry, particularly in two-woman actions like pick-and-rolls and hand-offs, which frequently resulted in high-percentage looks and timely buckets. Their connection gave the Fever a dynamic offensive option and helped open up space for others. With Clark sidelined, that rhythm has been harder to replicate, making her return potentially vital to reigniting the team’s offensive flow. The Indiana Fever appear primed for a resurgence. Coming off a tough loss, they will be eager to respond with a statement performance, and what better way to do it than to defeat the undefeated? 

On Saturday, the Fever will face the ruthless New York Liberty, a team they came closest to beating earlier in the season. That game ended in a heartbreaking one-point loss after Natasha Cloud stripped Caitlin Clark on the final play. If Clark returns for this matchup, she will be looking for revenge, and her presence could provide the spark the Fever need to finally break through and hand Sabrina Ionescu and company their first loss of the season.