Caitlin Clark's Injury Is Opportunity for Fever to Find Cohesion

With Caitlin Clark out due to a quadriceps injury, the Indiana Fever will need to tighten up the offense, specifically their ball movement, while leaning on their top-tier defense to stay competitive.

May 22, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) in action against the Atlanta Dream in the first half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The Indiana Fever will be without star point guard Caitlin Clark for at least two weeks after she suffered a strain to her left quadriceps, the team announced Monday. The injury comes as a significant blow—not just to the Fever’s evolving offensive identity, but to the WNBA as a whole, where Clark’s presence has become a marquee attraction.

Caitlin Clark has suffered a left quadriceps strain and will be out a minimum of two weeks.

Learn more: https://t.co/7IcMx3jiDw pic.twitter.com/EYWXyU3vW4

— Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever) May 26, 2025

Clark is undeniably the offensive engine for the Indiana team, averaging 19 points, 9.3 assists and 6 rebounds per game. Her elite playmaking and gravity are felt on nearly every possession. But now, the Fever must adjust quickly and figure out how to keep pace without her on the floor.

With Clark out, the Fever will need to fill that offensive role by committee, especially when it comes to creating more ball movement for scoring opportunities. So far this season, Indiana’s offense has shown flashes of promise but hasn’t always clicked consistently in the halfcourt. The team currently stands at No. 5 in the league in assists, with Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell both averaging 2.3 per game, which is tied for second on the team behind Clark.

Compare that to this year's projected top contending teams, the Minnesota Lynx and the New York Liberty.

The Lynx move the ball with purpose, led by Courtney Williams (7.3 assists per game), but also include 6 other players averaging at least 2.3 assists, showcasing the team's contribution to an offense that spreads the floor and shares the load.

Former Sun Courtney Williams had 13 points, seven assists and five rebounds for Minnesota #FormerSun https://t.co/LFyjbPX9bR

— Richard Slate (@RichSlate) May 22, 2025

The Liberty have four players coming in over that aforementioned average in Natasha Cloud (7.7 assists per game), Sabrina Ionescu (4.3 assists per game), Jonquel Jones (3.3 assists per game) and Breanna Stewart (2.7 assists per game) and are ranked second in ball movement.

If the Fever want to remain competitive without Clark, they’ll need players like Boston, Sophie Cunningham and Mitchell to take on bigger roles in distributing the ball with smart decisions and quick passes.

The silver lining for Indiana is that their defense has become one of the league’s best. Under new head coach Stephanie White, the Fever rank third overall in defensive rating—trailing only the Phoenix Mercury and Golden State Valkyries. That puts them above both the Liberty and the Lynx, whose offensive prowess has been what has stood out early in the season.

EARLY SEASON UPDATE***

Indiana Fever in a complete change from last season, is surprising the league with superior defense play registering 3 of their players, Howard, Boston, and number #2 RATED Caitlin Clark all in the top ten. pic.twitter.com/l2nP8skpb8

— THE DRIBBLE (@TheDribble_XLIV) May 25, 2025

If Indiana can control the tempo, win the rebounding battle, and force turnovers, they have a real chance to stay in games even without their offensive engine in Clark. While there's no sugarcoating it—Clark’s absence is a setback, it also presents an opportunity for Indiana to strengthen the other aspects of their game and show off the bench depth they built in the offseason.

And when Clark does return—with the exact timeline depending on how her quad heals—the team might just be sharper, deeper, and more cohesive for having weathered the storm.