The injuries taking a toll on Caitlin Clark have been long evident. We aren’t just talking about her shooting slump. “This is the first time I haven’t felt like a young body that can run around and sprint every day and just continue to do that,” she admitted to Glamour over the All-Star Weekend. But her absence isn’t just about being unable to replicate her electrifying rookie year—it’s also starting to affect the Fever’s momentum. However, does the team really believe that to be the case?

The Fever are 5-7 without Caitlin Clark, suffering a two-game losing streak right after her groin injury on July 15. It’s been nearly 10 days since, and there is still no official return timeline for the reigning ROTY.

The latest update from the team stated that Clark “underwent further medical evaluations earlier this week, which confirmed that no additional injuries or damage were discovered.” She will now “continue working with the medical team on her recovery and rehabilitation, with the priority on her long-term health and well-being.” This could have very well spelt trouble for the Fever, but they are not walking down that road.

“Learning to play without [Caitlin], learning to make big plays in tough moments on both ends of the floor is important because that’s gonna pay dividends down the stretch of the season for us,” coach Stephanie White had said earlier in July, and it looks like that might be coming to fruition.

Because if the latest 80-90 win reflected anything, it’s that the Fever seem to have found their rhythm without their core offensive weapon. Even Clark’s self-proclaimed “guardian angel” didn’t hold back when asked if her absence was affecting the Fever squad.

“Yeah, I don’t think that it affects us anymore. We put out a statement today that, you know, she’s day-to-day, and so we know that as a team, and so that’s helpful to mentally prepare,” Sophie Cunningham shared during a postgame press conference. “But I really do think that, you know, if we have Caitlin, great, and we know how to play with her. If we don’t have Caitlin, great. We know how to play without her, and I think that’s just so important.”

And honestly, who can blame her? The 2025 Commissioner’s Cup championship win—it came without Clark. The historic 2-1 lead over the Aces? A hit without her. So far this season, Clark has been limited to just 13 appearances due to multiple injuries: a left quad strain, a left groin injury, and now, a right groin injury that has already cost her three games.

Interestingly, in the games she has played, the Fever are 8–5 and out of their current 13–12 record, five wins came without Clark—including key victory against the Minnesota Lynx, the top team in the league. Even the recent win over the defending champion Las Vegas Aces was no different, thanks to head coach Stephanie White’s smart tactical adjustments.

Initially, when Clark went out with the quad injury, the plan was to let Sydney Colson and Sophie Cunningham alternate at point guard—Colson in the starting lineup and Cunningham off the bench. But that plan quickly collapsed, as not only did the Fever lose, but both players also suffered injuries in the same game.

And then everything changed as Aari McDonald entered on a hardship contract. But while she left the roster when CC came back, after DeWanna Bonner was waived off, she joined the squad once again. And her arrival brought perfect timing and instant chemistry, giving Indiana the much-needed boost.

Since then, the Fever have been riding a smooth wave, with different players stepping up in every outing. Just look at the recent game against the two-time WNBA champions: Cunningham dropped 15 points in her second straight game since the All-Star break, going 3-for-4 from three-point range as part of a 4-for-5 performance from the field. And she wasn’t alone.

McDonald dropped a win-sealing 3-pointer, Kelsey Mitchell scored 21 points, while Natasha Howard and Aliyah Boston posted double-doubles. So yes, the Fever are winning without Clark—but was it any different when she was playing?

Is Fever without or with Caitlin Clark the same?

As Sophie mentioned, “it’s the same whether Clark is there or not.” And that might be true to an extent. Because when Clark has been on the court, she’s struggled to find the dominant form that made her an All-WNBA First Team honoree as a rookie. Sure, she delivered a triple-double in the season opener and a 32-point, 8-rebound, 9-assist performance in her return from the first injury. She’s hit shots from 36 feet and dazzled from deep on occasion.

But let’s be honest—the talk has largely shifted to her lengthy shooting slump. In her last seven appearances, Clark has gone 7-of-49 from beyond the arc and has failed to hit a single three-pointer in three separate games. Overall, she’s shooting 36.7% from the field and just 27.9% from three. On the road, her numbers are even more troubling—just 2-of-35 from downtown.

Still, despite the poor shooting, she’s averaging 16.5 points, 5 rebounds, and 8.8 assists per game—second-best in the league. And statistically, the Fever are significantly better with her on the floor. They’re 8–5 with her and 5–7 without. Even the team’s offensive rating drops from 108.6 with Clark to 100.4 without her.

And how can we forget her impact on ticket sales? When she was first sidelined in late May with the quadriceps strain, ticket prices plummeted. Prices for the Fever–Mystics game dropped 47%, and resale tickets for Indiana’s home game against the Sky fell 71% after her injury was announced.

Even though in early 2025, Indiana still remained one of the league’s top draws despite Clark’s absence, attendance dipped slightly. Fever games with Clark averaged 581,000 viewers on NBA TV, but the one without her dropped to 357,000—a ~39% decrease. So, while Sophie says Clark’s absence doesn’t affect the team anymore—it’s largely the team’s mindset on the court.