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Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark gestures on the bench in the first half of a WNBA playoff game against the Atlanta Dream in Indianapolis on Sept. 16. (AP file photo)<\/p>\n
INDIANAPOLIS \u2014 Caitlin Clark\u2019s first home game in more than nine months was supposed to be a celebration.<\/p>\n
Instead, she gave the Indiana Fever and fans a scare Thursday night.<\/p>\n
Clark crumpled to the ground early in the third quarter when Dallas forward Alanna Smith collided with her leg on a shot attempt, and then limped toward the bench as she walked off the injury during a replay review that resulted in a Flagrant 1 call. The two-time All-Star then made two free throws before departing and watching the rest of the game from the bench.<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel good. I just landed on my kneecap really hard,\u201d Clark said after scoring 21 points in a 95-80 loss to the Wings. \u201cI know there\u2019s a committee of people that really wanted them (the refs) to start calling things, and I thought they did a great job of that. Honestly, I thought the refs were great, and it\u2019s preseason so you\u2019re probably going to see more fouls called. I expect that number to drop. But I think overall, it\u2019s going to improve the product.\u201d<\/p>\n
Initially, it looked as if little had changed since Clark last suited up in Gainbridge Fieldhouse on July 13, when the Fever beat Dallas.<\/p>\n
The pregame autograph line snaked through the seats, the No. 22 jerseys and Clark T-shirts were as fashionable Thursday night as they were during her record-breaking rookie season, and, naturally, Clark was greeted with the usual loud cheers during player introductions.<\/p>\n
Sure, it was only a preseason game, but it did feature the league\u2019s last two Rookie of the Year award winners \u2014 Clark and Paige Bueckers. Yet Fever fans had been yearning for this moment since Clark went down July 15 with a right groin injury that forced her to miss the All-Star Game and the All-Star weekend festivities in Indianapolis, as well as Indiana\u2019s final 22 regular-season games and its incredible run to the WNBA semifinals.<\/p>\n
The long absence only made Thursday\u2019s game an even bigger deal.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is the first (Fever) game I\u2019ve been to \u2014 ever,\u201d said Nikki Niccun, dressed in a No. 22 jersey. \u201cI\u2019ve seen every one on TV, but this is the first time in person. I know it\u2019s a preseason game, but I\u2019m excited.\u201d<\/p>\n
Clark first returned to the court for Team USA in the FIBA Women\u2019s World Cup qualifying games in early March, then helped the Fever open the preseason with a 109-91 victory at New York despite a 2-for-10 shooting performance.<\/p>\n
This time, Clark looked more like herself. She scored 14 of her 21 points in the first quarter, had four assists, three turnovers and two rebounds while going 4 of 6 from the field and 11 of 13 at the free throw line in 16 minutes.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe had planned for her to come out about that time anyway,\u201d coach Stephanie White said.<\/p>\n
___<\/p>\n
AP NBA: https:\/\/apnews.com\/hub\/NBA![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/5-2-6b-wnba-clark-540x500.jpg\")
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