Fever Lose to Mercury 111-109 as Clark Exits Early with Back Injury

Caitlin Clark left the Indiana Fever's 111-109 loss to the Phoenix Mercury with a back injury at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on June 24, 2026. She exited with 5:15 remaining in the third quarter and did not return. Clark appeared to tweak her back in the second quarter while fouled on a three-point attempt.

She had gone to the tunnel in the first quarter and returned to the bench wearing a wrap around her back. Clark finished with 19 points and eight assists in 20 minutes. The teams played their second game in three days after meeting June 22.

That contest featured six technical fouls and one ejection, with Clark receiving her fifth technical. The Fever are petitioning the league to rescind it. On one second-quarter play, Phoenix forward Alyssa Thomas appeared on video to put her fist into Clark's neck while players scrambled for a loose ball.

No foul was called. Fever coach Stephanie White called the sequence egregious. "It was egregious. The fact that it was a no-call … You got to call it," White said. "We have a generational talent and WNBA superstar who had two cheap shots [against her] right there that weren’t called.

Clark has appeared on the injury report for most of the season with a back issue and missed one earlier game because of it. The Fever received a league warning after failing to list an injury designation for that absence. As of June 24, Clark ranked second in All-Star fan voting behind teammate Aliyah Boston.

White said the Fever must remain cautious with Clark's back. "We’ve got to be careful; it’s a long season," she said.