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Caitlin Clark made her much-anticipated return to the Indiana Fever’s lineup on Wednesday after missing four straight games due to a left groin injury. The two-time All-Star led the charge against the Golden State Valkyries at home, joining Aliyah Boston, Natasha Howard, Kelsey Mitchell and Aari McDonald in the starting lineup.
Clark started the game strong but quickly cooled off as her shooting struggles resurfaced. Turnovers continued to be an issue, and overall, her comeback didn’t go as she or her fans had hoped, as the Fever suffered an 80-61 loss.
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In the end, Clark finished with 10 points on 4-for-12 shooting, including 2-for-5 from beyond the arc. She recorded five rebounds, six assists and one steal in 25 minutes. She committed four turnovers and finished with a plus/minus of -7.
Caitlin Clark through four quarters vs. Golden State Valkyries
Early on, Clark showed no signs of rust, coming out with energy and purpose as if she had something to prove. She immediately jump-started the Fever’s offense with her up-tempo play, pushing the ball at every opportunity. Her aggressive approach helped Indiana build a 23-21 lead after the first quarter.
After the first quarter, Caitlin Clark had five points on 2-for-4 shooting, including 1-for-2 from deep. She also recorded three rebounds and one assist in 7:14 minutes.
Clark cooled off in the second quarter as the Fever's offense struggled to find any rhythm. The star point guard missed both of her shot attempts, while the Valkyries turned up the defensive intensity, applying relentless pressure that disrupted Clark’s flow and further stalled Indiana’s scoring efforts.
At half time, the former Iowa standout had five points on 2-for-6 shooting, including 1-for-3 from 3-point range. She also recorded three rebounds and two assists in 13 minutes.
After the Fever fell behind by 15 points in the third quarter, Caitlin Clark ramped up her defensive intensity. She came up with a couple of key steals and also connected on her second 3-pointer of the night, trying to spark a comeback for Indiana.
Clark managed to score in the fourth quarter, but with the game slipping out of reach, coach Stephanie White opted to sub her out. It wasn’t the comeback Clark had envisioned as she struggled with efficiency throughout the night.
