Caitlin Clark misses first game

Caitlin Clark missed her first game of the 2026 WNBA season on Wednesday after the Indiana Fever ruled her out before tipoff against the Portland Fire with back stiffness and soreness. The Fever announced the change roughly two hours before the game, after Clark had not been listed on the prior day’s injury report, according to CBS Sports and USA Today. Indiana went on to beat Portland 90-73 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, with Aliyah Boston scoring 24 points and Kelsey Mitchell adding 21, according to the WNBA game recap. ### When did the Fever rule Clark out? The Fever ruled Clark out on May 20 less than two hours before tipoff against Portland, the team said. ESPN reported Clark woke up with stiffness and soreness in her back, and the late scratch became her first missed game of the season. Wednesday’s absence stood out in part because Clark had been available through Indiana’s first stretch of games in 2026. USA Today reported she was added to the status report on game day after not appearing on Tuesday’s injury report. ### What did Indiana say about the injury? Indiana described the issue as back stiffness and soreness before the game, according to multiple reports. CBS Sports characterized it as a back injury, while ESPN said the team announced she would sit because of back soreness after she woke up feeling discomfort. The available reporting did not indicate a longer-term timetable on Wednesday night. Fieldhouse Files and USA Today both described the move as precautionary in the sense that the team held her out after the symptoms appeared that morning, but neither outlet reported a formal recovery schedule from the Fever. ### How did the Fever play without Clark? Indiana won 90-73 on Wednesday night despite losing its starting point guard before tipoff, according to the WNBA recap. Boston finished with 24 points and eight rebounds, and Mitchell scored 21 as the Fever improved with a balanced scoring night. The WNBA box score showed Indiana led 28-20 after the first quarter and 53-37 at halftime. Her Hoop Stats listed the final quarter-by-quarter score as 28-20, 25-17, 20-14 and 17-22, giving Indiana control of the game before Portland narrowed the margin late. ### Was this Clark’s first missed game of the year? Wednesday marked Clark’s first missed game of the 2026 season, according to ESPN, CBS Sports and Fieldhouse Files. That made the Portland game the first time Indiana had to reset its lineup without her this year. The timing also drew attention because Clark remains the team’s central draw on and off the court. USA Today and other outlets framed the scratch as unexpected because it came so close to game time. ### What else was happening around the Fever this week? The Fever this week restarted a college co-branded hat promotion that includes an Iowa Hawkeyes-themed night, according to Hawk Central and the team’s ticket page. The promotion ties select ticket packages to Indiana Fever and university-branded hats. The team’s University Hat Nights page lists an Iowa event at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on May 22. The Iowa tie-in carries added attention because Clark starred for the Hawkeyes before entering the WNBA. ### What comes next for Indiana and Clark? May 22 is the next concrete date on the Fever’s promotional calendar, when the team is scheduled to host its Iowa-themed University Hat Night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, according to Indiana’s website. Clark’s playing status beyond May 20 had not been formally updated in the reporting reviewed here. Indiana’s next injury report will be the clearest public marker for Clark’s availability. The Fever, Clark and Portland were the named participants in the sequence that began with Wednesday’s late scratch and ended with Indiana’s 90-73 win.