Caitlin Clark won't play Wednesday v Portland Fire - fieldhousefiles.com

Scott AgnessMay 20, 202671ShareGame 5 will be Caitlin Clark’s first absence of the season. (Photo: Ryan May/800 Meter)Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark will not play in Wednesday’s game against the Portland Fire, one of two expansion franchises for the 2026 season. Her status was downgraded to out due to “back,” at 5:20 p.m. ET by the team. Speaking with reporters about an hour later, head coach Stephanie White said that she learned of the determination around 5 p.m. after Clark “woke up with some stiffness and some soreness. “… It’s not the time to take a chance. We just really wanna be cautious.” That aligns with what the Fever have said. They have taken a cautious approach with player health, having the long-term in mind. We saw that in training camp with Ty Harris, Aliyah Boston and Lexie Hull, etc. Clark was visible at practice on Tuesday, but White said Clark did not participate. “She got treatment yesterday and went through workouts after practice,” she said. I reported earlier that there is no new injury or concern. White confirmed that. “She’s healthy,” said White, adding, “we’re not managing anything. This is just a back issue that we want to make sure we give the time to be ready.” I also wrote that it was “part of a strategic management plan” for Clark, who missed all but 13 games last season due to several injuries. That was not to insinuate load management, but rather emphasize the precautionary measure given what she experienced last season. This is Indiana’s fourth game in eight days, with another one coming on Friday against the Golden State Valkyries. Clark is playing almost 31 minutes per game and is one of several players to wear a black heating pad around her back when not in the game. There’s a lot of stress on one’s body when ramping back up to a full workload, and she hadn’t played significant minutes since last July. Without Clark, point guard Ty Harris will start in her place. “She’s experienced,” White said. “They’re a team that’s gonna press. I wanna have an experienced point guard on the floor when that happens.” The game will tip off after 7 p.m. ET, available nationally on USA Sports. Kate Scott (play-by-play), Hall of Famer Tamika Catchings (analyst), and Paris Lawson (sideline) are on the call. The Fever are 2-2 and coming off a home win on Sunday against the Seattle Storm. All-Star center Aliyah Boston, who missed the game, is off the injury report and discussed what she’s going through before practice on Tuesday. The Fire are also 2-2. They’re beginning a three-game road trip in Indiana after a four-game homestand to open the season. These two teams will meet again very soon, in Portland on May 30. Clark ranks fifth in the WNBA in scoring, averaging 24.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 9.0 assists per game. This story was updated before tipoff to reflect Stephanie White’s comments.