The worst feeling for any professional athlete is the feeling of not being able to help your team when it matters the most, especially when this inability to contribute comes from circumstances beyond one's control. For Caitlin Clark, who saw her season come to a premature end due to a groin injury, it has to sting so much that all she could do is watch on the sidelines as the Indiana Fever battle in the playoffs against the 30-win Atlanta Dream squad.
But Clark is making her presence felt still even though she cannot help her team out on the court. She was a very prominent presence on the sidelines at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Tuesday during the Fever's 77-60 victory over the Dream, which allowed Indiana to stave off elimination and force a Game 3 at The Gateway Center Arena @ College Park.
As has been the case for the Fever since Clark arrived in 2024 to bring millions of fans into the sport, the crowd support they received was overwhelming — with Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton also doing his part to hype up the crowd in support of the team in what could be their final home game of the season. And Clark is definitely not taking the fanbase's passion in supporting the team for granted, as evidenced by her post on X (formerly Twitter) following the game.
“Shoutout the fans!!! Gainbridge was LOUD!❤️❤️❤️” Clark wrote on her official account.
The Fever ranked second in the WNBA in both average and total attendance this past season, trailing only the Golden State Valkyries (the support the Valkyries have received is massive, as they sold out all 22 regular-season games and are sure to sell out Game 2 of their first-round matchup against the Minnesota Lynx).
It's no surprise to see the Fever draw this much support from their fans; Indiana is a basketball state, and they would want to give their fans more reasons to cheer by finishing their upset of the Dream come Thursday.
Fever look to stun the world despite Caitlin Clark's absence
Clark was limited to just 13 games in her sophomore campaign after playing in all 40 games during her rookie season, but the Fever are holding strong in her absence. Kelsey Mitchell and Aliyah Boston have been doing their best to keep the Fever afloat, while their defense has also picked up in its intensity, if the Dream's lackluster shooting from the field on Wednesday is any indication.
Without Clark, the Fever are simply playing with house money. But perhaps playing without any expectations is what's going to do this Fever squad a world of good.
