Caitlin Clark is the centrepiece of the Indiana Fever, which is obvious. Yet, the 2024 Rookie of the Year has been on the bench more than she has been on the court this season, as she has struggled with injuries. First, it was a quadriceps strain, then came the first groin strain, and the second followed shortly after. This latest stint has seen Clark out since before the WNBA All-Star break, and the Fever have no timeline for her return.
How the Indiana Fever have stayed afloat without Caitlin Clark
The Fever star is sidelined with injury, but her teammates have figured out what they need to do to win while she is out.
Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images
Chelsea Leite has been writing about professional basketball since 2021, and covers both the Toronto Raptors and Toronto Tempo as a credentialed reporter for SB Nation.
Before the season, many people had the Indiana Fever ranked to compete with the top teams in the WNBA and finish the season in the top three. Clark’s absence has slightly derailed those plans, but the Fever have found a rhythm in Clark’s latest break from the court. Right now, the Indiana Fever sit in 6th place league-wide, with a record of 16-12, slowly separating themselves from the .500 level they have been at or below for the last several seasons. Clark has only played in 13 of those 28 games, missing more than she’s played at this point.
So, how have the Fever managed to stay afloat without their star? There are a few components — the first being that Indiana has taken complete advantage of the mid-season free-agency market. As soon as Clark was out the first time, the Fever went and signed Aari McDonald, who had been waived by the LA Sparks. As Jacob details in the linked post, McDonald was one of the best options the Fever could have grabbed at her position mid-season. The Fever also recently signed Chloe Bibby to a rest-of-season contract, another great pick-up for them.
Indiana has also really leaned into the play of Aliyah Boston, their No. 1 draft pick from 2023. Boston is averaging a career-high 15.5 points per game in 2025, up 1.5 points per game from 2024. She’s attempted 11.3 field goals per game, and she is up to shooting 54.4% from the field. Prioritizing getting Boston going is a great strategy to hold strong until Clark returns, because Clark is so good at finding Boston in the post. There won’t be much to adjust to once Clark is back, as they can allow her to facilitate an already hot Boston while getting her own game back to where it usually is.
Indiana managed to place McDonald temporarily in the guard position while Clark heals, while also getting her pick-and-roll partner in Boston to personal best numbers. A rested Clark and a fired-up Boston is not a combo teams will want to see in the playoffs. Even if Indiana isn’t able to climb up into the top 4 and gain homecourt advantage, they will still have a significant advantage with Clark champing at the bit to return in time for the postseason. If her rest helps more than the rust hurts, the Fever could be a dangerous dark horse.
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