The Indiana Fever came into this season with very high expectations, but the year hasn't looked anything like they would have hoped so far. A lot of that comes down to injuries, specifically multiple ailments that star guard Caitlin Clark has been dealing with this season.

Clark missed five games with a quad injury earlier this season before returning in a massive performance against the defending champion New York Liberty, but another injury wasn't far around the corner. Recently, Clark has been dealing with a nagging groin injury and has been sidelined.

Clark will miss her fifth straight game due to the injury on Saturday against the Los Angeles Sparks, according to Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files.

Indiana will certainly find it difficult to topple a Sparks squad that has been finding its groove lately with Clark out of the lineup, but that doesn't mean that it isn't capable of getting another win. In fact, the Fever have won their last three games, all with their superstar clapping it up on the sidelines.

The most notable of those victories came on July 1 in the Commissioner's Cup title game against the Minnesota Lynx. The Lynx have been one of the best teams in basketball so far this season and were a massive favorite coming into that game against the Fever without Clark, but Indiana still came away with the trophy.

The Fever's calling card without Clark on the court has become their defense, which has been one of the best in basketball in recent weeks. They have given up less than 60 points in each of the last two games against two very good offenses in the Lynx and the Las Vegas Aces.

Still, Stephanie White and company will want to get Clark back on the court as soon as they can. The Fever know that in order to reach their goals and contend for a WNBA Championship this season, they need the former Iowa superstar running the show and operating at full capacity.

If they can sprinkle Clark back into the lineup while maintaining the gritty defensive identity that they have built without her, the Fever will be a force to be reckoned with over the second half of the season.

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