On Monday, the Indiana Fever introduced that Caitlin Clark will likely be out for no less than two weeks with a left quadriceps pressure. The group has stated that this isn’t the identical harm that stored Clark out of one of many Fever’s preseason video games simply weeks in the past.
But, this does imply that the Fever will likely be with out their greatest participant for an prolonged stretch for the primary time since they drafted her No. 1 general within the 2024 WNBA Draft.
With regards to the group’s possibilities on this stretch, there may be nothing to sound the alarm about. Their subsequent 4 video games are towards Washington (x2), Connecticut and Chicago — all extraordinarily winnable video games even with out Clark. If Clark finally ends up being out longer than the two-week timeline, their subsequent video games are towards the Atlanta Dream and New York Liberty — a bit of extra intimidating with out her. Nonetheless, they need to come out of this stretch with out Clark with a successful file.
The opposite fascinating issue to Clark lacking a bit of time because the season begins to ramp up is the MVP race. Whereas she did have one of the best MVP odds going into the season, I’d say that was extra about getting folks to spend cash than it was about her precise possibilities.
That being stated, she got here into the season within the high three when it got here to MVP prospects as Clark, Napheesa Collier and A’ja Wilson all appear to be formidable candidates.
Whereas Wilson’s season has not began in probably the most best means for each her and her Aces, Collier has been impressing. She is averaging 29.5 factors per sport in 35 minutes per sport by 4 wins for the Lynx, taking pictures 56.2% from the sphere, 53.8% from three, and 93.5% from the free throw line.
A 50/50/90 season from Collier could be god-tier, and she or he’s simply persevering with the momentum she had from final season’s Finals collection and the Unequalled season.
It’s early, and people numbers will inevitably come down a bit because the season goes on. Particularly for Collier, she received’t want to attain as a lot as soon as the group welcomes again Kayla McBride this week. Nonetheless, her effectivity has been improbable to start out the season.
In Clark’s 4 video games, she is averaging 19 factors in 34.9 minutes per sport. She is taking pictures 40.3% from the sphere, 31.4% from three and 75% from the free throw line. These decrease numbers make sense provided that Clark is a high-volume shooter; she’s nonetheless making 2.8 three-point pictures per sport, just below her 3.1 per sport from her rookie season. Her stats are fairly on par from final season thus far.
Now, Clark will miss two weeks with the quad pressure after which want time to ramp again up earlier than re-entering the Fever lineup. That’s not even accounting for potential re-adjustment time after not enjoying for a number of weeks within the season. Clark is a superb participant and will not undergo that adjustment interval, however we simply don’t know.
In her skilled and faculty careers, she’s by no means missed a single common season sport, a lot much less a weeks-long stretch. The final time she sat out a sport on account of harm was in highschool. It is going to be as new to followers watching as it is going to be for her to expertise.
Clark having to take time without work now and Collier persevering with to dominate and win with the Lynx might shift the MVP dialog. Nonetheless, it’s extraordinarily early within the season to be making sweeping statements about an award that received’t be determined till September.
There’s loads of time for Clark to return again after some relaxation and rocket to the highest of the dialog. There’s additionally time for Wilson to get again to how she performed final season and utterly edge each Collier and Clark out of the dialog. Collier might additionally maintain sturdy with the numbers she is placing up now.
It’s an extended 44-game season, so there is no such thing as a use making a definitive alternative for MVP now.
In the identical vein, accidents are a fairly inevitable a part of sport, particularly if you find yourself relied on as a lot as Clark is in Indiana. She lacking a number of weeks to verify her quad heals up proper isn’t going to destroy her group, her franchise, or the whole league. It’s a quad pressure; each she and the WNBA will likely be high quality.
Moreover, placing that type of stress on her isn’t going to assist her loosen up sufficient to have the ability to deal with therapeutic. It’s a 44-game season, gamers are going to get banged up alongside the way in which. Final season, the eventual MVP Wilson performed 38 of 40 regular-season video games, and Collier solely performed 34 of 40 video games whereas nonetheless being the clear runner-up for the award. Even when Clark misses 4-6 video games on this stretch, it’s a small quantity compared to those she is going to play. The destiny of the whole sport of girls’s basketball doesn’t grasp within the steadiness of Clark’s quadricep.
Given she was noticed on the sidelines at Fever follow Tuesday morning, clutching a basketball, she is probably going already itching to get again on the courtroom. Hopefully, she heals up nicely and might rejoin her group quickly.
Within the meantime, the league will transfer ahead and the likes of Collier, Wilson and even others might seize an early lead within the race for MVP this season.