Fever must be realistic about what Caitlin Clark's return really means

The moment Fever fans have been waiting for is finally here. Caitlin Clark is finally ready to return to the court. Her first game back after dealing with a quad injury will be a big one, too. The Fever have to face the still-undefeated reigning champions. New York has been on a tear this season, stringing together nine consecutive wins. That streak includes a two-point win over the Indiana Fever. 

While Clark said that she likely won’t be on a minute restriction tonight, her team and fans must still be realistic about her first game back after a prolonged absence. Clark probably won’t look like her best self right away and will need help from her teammates to allow her to ease herself back into the game. Kelsey Mitchell, in particular, will have to carry a big part of the scoring burden. 

New York is not an easy team to return against

Clark has been out for quite some time. This has also been the first significant injury in her professional career. Even a generational talent like Clark will need some time to find her groove again after that. 

New York may be the worst team to do that against. The Liberty are strong on both ends of the court, leaving opponents little room for errors. Offensively, they will exploit every little opportunity the defense gives them, and on the other end of the floor, the Liberty can bother even the best players. They are not undefeated for a reason. 

Clark will undoubtedly be guarded by Natasha Cloud for most of the game. Cloud is one of the best perimeter defenders in the league and a hard-nosed veteran. She will give Clark little room to breathe, making her return from injury even more difficult than it already is. So, fans shouldn’t expect Clark to put up huge numbers in her first game back from injury and instead prepare to see some turnovers and tough shots. 

It will be up to her teammates to pick up the slack. Kelsey Mitchell has shown that she can be a top scoring option for the Fever, and Aliyah Boston’s playmaking has been on full display in Clark’s absence. 

The game will be a challenge

Playing the Liberty is always a challenge, especially for a short-handed Fever team just welcoming Clark back from an injury. Nevertheless, it is encouraging that the Fever already came close to beating the Liberty before. 

If the Fever truly want to compete for a championship, they have to start beating some of the best teams in the league. The circumstances may not be great, but Indiana still has a chance to prove itself against New York.