INDIANAPOLIS — Fever star Caitlin Clark was supposed to be on a minutes restriction for the first night of a back-to-back, Indiana coach Stephanie White said Friday.
Instead, Clark scored a career-best 45 points in 29 minutes in a victory over the Storm, one night before the Fever play host to the Liberty.
Clark’s workload had been limited and carefully monitored because of a nagging back issue that flared up at the beginning of the season.
In 20 games prior to Friday, she was averaging 19.7 points, 4.1 rebounds and 7.7 assists.
The Fever also downgraded center Aliyah Boston to “out” with a lower right leg issue.
“I don’t think it was anything from specifically the last game,” White said of Boston. “I think it’s just the compilation of games so to speak, and an inflammation. And it’s a back-to-back, again, sort of prioritizing based on the schedule.”
Asked if Boston would be playing had Friday not been a back-to-back, White said she wasn’t sure.
“I would hope,” she said. “It’s again the collaboration with the medical staff and AB and us and understanding the big picture and making sure that we’re smart.”
The Fever are in the midst of a tough stretch of three games in four days, with the Liberty coming to town Saturday to punctuate this stretch.
Meanwhile, the Liberty are coming off a surprise five days off between games after travel issues caused their Thursday game in Dallas to be moved to Monday.
“It’s be better if you could plan for it,” coach Chris DeMarco told reporters about the impromptu break in the schedule. “Here’s our four or five days with unexpected flight issues, it’s a little bit different but having the time together as a team for the film, for the practice, the camaraderie is really good.”
Saturday’s meeting between New York and Indiana isn’t just another regular season game. It matters.
Because both teams have a lot to prove.
The Fever haven’t been so hot as of late. Neither have the Liberty, who’ve lost seven of their past nine games.
Saturday will be a chance to make a statement for either team. Both hope it’s a positive one.
The Liberty and Fever hold championship aspirations, but injuries and shoddy play have resulted in them entering Friday sitting in sixth and seventh in the league standings.
Satou Sabally will be sidelined through the All-Star break with a concussion, though there’s still no established timeline for her return, coach Chris DeMarco told reporters after Friday’s practice.
“She’s starting to feel better,” DeMarco said. “She’s progressing right now. We’ll get her back on the court and go from there.”
Sabally left the Liberty’s June 23 win in Las Vegas and has been in concussion protocol since.
Leonie Fiebich is out indefinitely with a left foot injury.
DeMarco said she “avoided serious injury” and didn’t share any details of her issue. She doesn’t have a target return date and didn’t make the team’s trip to Indianapolis.
“She’s progressing very well,” he said, “so we’re hoping to get her back.”
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Fiebich played 36 minutes in the Liberty’s July 3 win against the Lynx seemingly without issue. She went to the gym the next day to shoot before starting to experience what DeMarco previously described as “general soreness.”
