The Indiana Fever is in Phoenix to take on the red-hot Mercury in a Tuesday night matchup with significant WNBA playoff ramifications.<\/p>\n
For the Mercury, the game serves as a chance to inch closer to securing home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs, which tip off Sept. 14. For the visiting Fever though, the focus remains on getting in — and worrying about the opponent later.<\/p>\n
Entering Tuesday, the Fever sits seventh in the standings with a 21-19 record. There had been little indication that Indiana was getting set to welcome back superstar point guard Caitlin Clark — until she was seen shooting the ball and running full-court in 5-on-0 drills with the Fever’s backups.<\/p>\n
MORE:\u00a0Fever’s Caitlin Clark gets encouraging health update as WNBA playoffs loom<\/a><\/p>\n After practice on Tuesday afternoon, Fever head coach Stephanie White answered a question she has been asked many times since Clark suffered a right groin injury on July 15: just how close is the All-Star guard to full health?<\/p>\n “She’s working as hard as she can to make sure that she is coming back, or is capable of coming back,” White said<\/a>, confirming that Clark has yet to take part in any practices with contact. “Her health and wellness (long-term) is the most important thing.”<\/p>\n Caitlin Clark has not done any practices with contact, Steph White said.<\/p>\n On if she\u2019s coming back in the regular season: \u201cThat’s the hope \u2026 I think that the long term viewpoint of her health and wellness is the most important thing.”https:\/\/t.co\/jax7bAL3Vx<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/R1PNAz7TQC<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Chloe Peterson (@chloepeterson67) September 2, 2025<\/a> <\/p>\n Clark on Tuesday will miss her 19th consecutive game since she sustained the groin injury seven weeks ago. With three games remaining on the Fever’s regular-season schedule, Clark is in a race against time to see the court again as her status for the remainder of the year remains uncertain.<\/p>\n MORE WNBA NEWS:<\/p>\n