Caitlin Clark was ruled out of the Indiana Fever’s matchup against the Portland Fire after waking up with back soreness, adding another physical setback to what has become a growing conversation around the young star’s health. The late scratch came less than two hours before tipoff, catching fans off guard as Indiana rolled to a 90-73 win without its franchise centerpiece.
According to ESPN, Fever head coach Stephanie White said Clark experienced stiffness and soreness earlier in the day and was held out as a precaution. “It’s not the time to take a chance,” White told reporters before the game, emphasizing the team wanted to be careful rather than risk aggravating the issue further.
White later pushed back on any suggestion that Clark’s absence was tied to load management, saying, “She’s healthy… This is just a back issue that we want to make sure we give the time to be ready.”
The situation drew immediate attention because Clark had already shown visible signs of discomfort during Indiana’s season-opening loss to the Dallas Wings. During that game, she twice headed to the tunnel to have her back “adjusted” before returning to finish the night.
Afterward, Clark acknowledged the issue, explaining that her back “gets out of line pretty quickly,” though she also framed her return to the floor as a positive sign physically and mentally.
“That moment where my back tightened up, I think I almost got confidence from that,” she said. “But it’s going to take me a little bit to really get over the mental hurdle of trusting my body.”
The latest absence also continues a frustrating stretch for Clark after what had once looked like one of basketball’s most durable careers. At the University of Iowa, Clark never missed a game across four seasons.
She then appeared in every regular-season game during her rookie WNBA campaign before injuries completely disrupted 2025.
That season included multiple muscle-related setbacks, including quad strains, groin injuries, and an ankle bone bruise, with a right groin strain ultimately ending her year midway through the season.
