The Indiana Fever defied all odds and won their first-round series against the Atlanta Dream without superstar Caitlin Clark on Thursday. The Fever ended Atlanta’s run in front of their home fans, securing a thrilling 87-85 win in Game 3 to punch their ticket to the semifinals.Indiana will now face the winner of the Las Vegas Aces–Seattle Storm series in the semis, which will be a best-of-five contest. After the Fever’s dramatic advancement, social media buzzed with fans speculating whether Clark could suit up for Indiana if she’s declared fit.The answer, however, is simple: No. Caitlin Clark won’t be eligible to play for the Fever in the semifinals. In fact, the two-time All-Star cannot suit up for Indiana even in the WNBA Finals, should the team reach the championship round.The reason is straightforward. Caitlin Clark was not included in the active playoff roster that the franchise submitted to the league. Under WNBA rules, a player can return at any point during the regular season, but the same flexibility doesn’t apply in the playoffs.For the postseason, the rule is stricter as only players listed on the official playoff roster are eligible to participate. So at it stands, Clark's highly-anticipated return to the court will take place next season.Caitlin Clark hyped after Indiana Fever's first-round victory Caitlin Clark was overjoyed and overflowing with emotion after the Indiana Fever advanced to the semifinals. Despite being sidelined with injury, the star point guard wasted no time in celebrating on social media, posting two separate tweets, one hyping up her team and another giving a heartfelt shoutout to coach Stephanie White. Clark also had a fiery response to the constant boos from Atlanta Dream fans. As she walked back to the locker room, the former Iowa standout flashed the "L" sign toward the crowd.