Caitlin Clark made her highly anticipated return from a back injury on Wednesday night, but it wasn’t the triumphant comeback many had hoped for. The Fever spent the entire night chasing the Sparks, ultimately falling 106-92.
Clark’s Rough Return
Clark’s return was marked by a disjointed performance, with the superstar looking completely out of sync. She finished with just 9 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists, and her minus-16 plus-minus told the story of her struggles.
Much of the blame for Clark’s rough return can be placed on head coach Stephanie White, who kept Clark on a tight leash by limiting her to just 16 minutes. The stop-and-go approach may have sabotaged any chance for Clark to establish a rhythm.
The Los Angeles Sparks were severely shorthanded, taking the floor without stars Kelsey Plum and Cameron Brink. Yet, while a depleted Sparks roster played to win, Indiana spent the night over-managing its biggest asset.
Kelsey Mitchell was forced to shoulder the entire offensive burden, pouring in 29 points while shooting 5-of-9 from beyond the arc. But one hot hand couldn’t stop an efficient LA squad, which shot 45% from three-point range to cruise to the 106-92 victory.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
