The Indiana Fever will be without star Caitlin Clark for the 2025 Commissioner’s Cup Final
Caitlin Clark and Napheesa Collier were named Captains of the 2025 WNBA All-Star game this week. Following the news, Collier and Clark were set to face off in tonight’s highly anticipated Commissioner’s Cup Final. Considered arguably the most crucial matchup outside the playoffs, the Fever will be without their top star tonight.
Drafted No. 1 overall in the 2024 WNBA Draft, Clark has missed a total of seven games with quad and groin injuries this season. On Tuesday afternoon, the Fever announced that Clark is out for tonight’s showdown.
Initially considered a game-time decision and questionable for tonight’s outing, Caitlin Clark is set to miss her third consecutive matchup. Already hampered by a quad injury, Clark suffered a groin injury late in the fourth quarter against the Seattle Storm on June 24.
In nine appearances this season, Clark is averaging 18.2 points, and a career-high 8.9 assists. With the Fever, she’s putting up 5.0 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game. In the midst of injuries, Clark’s been struggling to find her shot ever since her 32-point explosion, in which she tallied seven three-pointers against the New York Liberty. Since that matchup on June 14, the former Iowa standout is shooting 19-59 (32 %) from the field, and an abysmal 5-29 (17 %) from beyond the arc. In fact, Clark is 1-23 from deep in her last three appearances.
Caitlin Clark has been ruled OUT for tonight’s Commissioner’s Cup matchup vs the Minnesota Lynx 👀
The Lynx are now -10.5 point spread favorites to win the Cup Championship. #WNBA #FeverRising pic.twitter.com/I0NXJdSCSR
— Ballislife Bets (@BallislifeBets) July 1, 2025
Despite the injuries and shooting woes, Clarks absence is big loss for the Fever. Holding a 3-4 record without Clark, the offense looks drastically different without her on the floor. Boasting a +48 plus-minus with Clark on the floor, No.22 is far beyond a flamethrower from the logo. Averaging nearly nine assists per game, Clark is the Fever’s top facilitator and floor general. Overall, No. 22 is is anchoring the Fever in points (18.9 PPG), assists (8.9 APG), and minutes played (33.3 MPG).
The news comes just one day after Clark was officially named an All-Star starter, earning the second selection of her career. Earning a historic 1,293,526 fan votes, Clark was ranked No. 1 overall by the fans. Despite this, she was selected as the ninth best player among her peers.
With the departure of DeWanna Bonner, guard Aari McDonald has re-signed with the Indiana Fever. Earning the starting nod in the absence of Clark, McDonald and the Fever face a tall task tonight. With the injury news, the Lynx are heavy 10.5 point spread favorites among popular sportsbooks.
Holding the WNBA’s best record at 14–2, Napheesa Collier and the Minnesota Lynx look to win the first back-to-back Commissioner’s Cup title in league history. Conceding to the New York Liberty in last year’s WNBA Finals, Cheryl Reeve and the Lynx are hungry for a championship.
The Minnesota Lynx will host the Indiana Fever for tonight’s Commissioner’s Cup championship matchup, set to tip off at 8 p.m. ET on Amazon Prime Video.
Follow Sara Jane Gamelli on X @SaraJGamelli.
