Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark missed the May 20 matchup against the Portland Fire due to back soreness, a decision not reflected on the league's pregame injury report and raising concerns about protocol compliance. Former WNBA legend Sue Bird defended the precautionary approach, emphasizing the normalcy of last‑minute health issues and the challenges players face in managing injuries during a season.
One of the biggest stories in women's basketball last week was Caitlin Clark sitting out of the Indiana Fever 's May 20 game against the Portland Fire.
While any time Clark misses a game with a potential injury is significant, the fact that she was a late scratch becauseraised alarm bells around the WNBA. This was especially true because Clark wasn't listed on the Fever's mandatory pregame injury report the night before the game, which seemed to be a violation of league protocol.with back soreness and didn't want to risk anything getting worse, which led to her and the Fever deciding to sit her.
Sue Bird's Sentiment About How Caitlin Clark, Fever Handled Back Concern Speaks Volumes It's hard to blame Clark and Indiana for choosing caution, even if it technically went against league protocol. And WNBA legend Sue Bird explained why inShe then added, "There's really nothing to be said here. Like, literally, it is so normal for a player to not practice the day before a game, and it mean nothing.
It is also so normal, and possible, to wake up the day of the game, and something happened where you don't feel good, and you don't play.
" Bird then detailed a story where she tweaked her neck the day of a game and ultimately didn't play, then said, "I personally didn't read the story as like anything nefarious. I think Caitlin, who then spoke about this, shared some frustrations around it. Obviously, it's because of who she is. People want to know everything she's doing...
But I think it's frustrating, because here is a player who is—managing might not be the right word. She was hurt last year, she was dealing with an injury, kept her out. She has now come back. And she talked about how it's a mental navigation more than anything else.
"And I think the biggest thing to understand is, when you have an injury that you are trying to take care of, and get back to 100% from, while playing a season, there's just a lot of unknowns. And in real time, you're trying to figure out what things mean," Bird continued.
"Because sometimes, you do wake up and you're sore. And sometimes, it's nothing. And sometimes, you can't play that night. And you have to start to learn your body, and understand... what meaning each soreness has.
" Bird added, "For Caitlin, she's figuring that out. Again, she talks about the mental hurdle of it more than the physical. She's getting over that. She's getting over that.
So to me, this is like just one big fat nothing burger.
" Bird concluded the segment by speaking about how great she's looking on the court, and how she has her speed back, which is what ultimately "makes her so difficult to guard. "Players miss practice and things can happen the day of and Sue even used herself as an example. And with Caitlin coming off an injury, it’s pretty normal that she’s being more cautious about her body.
Bird's verdict on this situation makes sense because anybody who has played competitive sports knows that injuries can spring up out of nowhere, even before taking the court on game days. Plus, her comments echo what Clark has said in the past about how overcoming the mental hurdle of last year's injury-plagued campaign has been even tougher than getting back to 100% in a physical sense.
And so whenever she feels something in her body now, of course, she'll exercise the utmost caution. The bottom line is that even though Clark is on the Fever's injury report for their May 30 game, she appears to be injury-free and is back to playing world-class basketball. Grant Young covers women’s basketball for Women’s Fastbreak and Indiana Fever On SI. His coverage centers on league trends and the growth of women’s basketball, both on and off the court.
He also creates digital content focused on the sport’s biggest moments and personalities.
Caitlin Clark Indiana Fever WNBA Injury Protocol Sue Bird Commentary Back Soreness
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