Indiana Fever to be short-handed again as Caitlin Clark is ruled out of key matchup against Seattle

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Caitlin Clark and four other injured teammates have been ruled out of have been ruled out of Tuesday’s key late-season matchup between the Indiana Fever and Seattle Storm.

The announcement came when Indiana updated its injury report Monday. Fever players and coaches were not scheduled to have media availability.

Clark has not played or practiced since injuring her right groin July 15. She did, however, participate in Indiana’s pregame shootaround Sunday at Minnesota. The Fever have lost two straight to the league-leading Lynx, a team Clark followed closely when she was growing up in Iowa.

Last season’s WNBA Rookie of the Year is averaging 16.5 points, 8.8 assists and 5.0 rebounds in 13 games this season. But she’s missed 24 games including the last 15 with her third muscle injury of the season.

Coach Stephanie White has said there is no timetable for Clark’s return. White did say, though, she hopes Clark returns before the end of the regular season.

Indiana has seven games remaining and enters Tuesday’s game tied with the expansion Golden State Valkyries for the final two playoff spots — one game ahead of the Los Angeles Sparks, who the Fever visit Friday, and 1/2 game behind Seattle for the No. 6 seed.

Guards Aari McDonald, Sydney Colson and Sophie Cunningham have each suffered season-ending injuries, and veteran forward Chloe Bibby will miss her second straight game because of a sore left knee.

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AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball