Clark set to miss 8th straight game as Fever look to keep winning streak alive

INDIANAPOLIS - When the Indiana Fever take on the Los Angeles Sparks on Tuesday, Caitlin Clark won't be in the lineup.




It is, unfortunately, nothing new for the team. This will mark the eighth straight game Clark has missed dating back to July. Monday's injury report listed Clark out with a nagging right groin injury.




Clark suffered the injury during the team's July 15 win against the Connecticut Sun. She missed the next game against the New York Liberty and sat out All-Star festivities.




She hasn't returned to the lineup since then.




Clark's second pro season has been riddled with injuries. She had tightness in her left quad during the preseason, suffered a left quad strain that caused her to miss time and then injured her left groin. After returning from the left groin issue, she injured her right groin.




Clark has appeared in 13 of the Fever's 29 games so far this season.




Over the weekend, coach Stephanie White said Clark wants to be out on the floor. However, given her injury struggles this season, the team is taking a diligent approach to her recovery to make sure she doesn't have any setbacks. It requires patience from Clark and her team.




Indiana has gotten used to playing without Clark in the lineup, however. The Fever are the hottest team in the WNBA, having won eight out of their last ten games and five in a row.




Their record now stands at 17-12, good for fifth place in the WNBA standings.




Their next five games:

• Tuesday, Aug. 5 at Los Angeles, 10 p.m.





• Thursday, Aug. 7 at Phoenix, 10 p.m.





• Saturday, Aug. 9 vs. Chicago, 8 p.m.





• Tuesday, Aug. 12 vs. Dallas, 7:30 p.m.





• Friday, Aug. 15 vs. Washington, 7:30 p.m.