Gainbridge Fieldhouse held its breath near the end of the first half on Friday after Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark limped off the floor against the Dallas Wings.
The Fever trailed 37-35 at halftime, but the score quickly became secondary as the franchise cornerstone struggled to stay upright while heading for the locker room.
Caitlin Clark’s Injury Scare vs. Wings: Latest Update on Fever Superstar
The scary moment came late in the second quarter when Clark tried to follow Wings veteran Alysha Clark into the paint on defense. The Fever point guard buckled after seemingly stepping on her rival’s foot and struggled to stay upright before urgently signaling toward coach Stephanie White for a timeout.
After Dallas missed a shot, White did not stop play but sent Tyasha Harris onto the floor for Clark’s exit. The three-time All-Star tried to move around on her own but was clearly bothered by what appeared to be an ankle issue. She eventually made her way to the locker room as Fever fans applauded her effort.
Clark finished the first half with nine points on 3-for-7 shooting, along with four assists and three rebounds. She struggled from deep, missing all four of her 3-point attempts.
The concern around the arena, however, eased quickly after the start of the third quarter. Clark returned to the floor and appeared to move about without any discomfort.
She scored early in the second half on a pass from All-Star center Aliyah Boston, providing an immediate lift for Indiana. The injury scare appeared to be behind her as she continued to attack the basket.
Halfway through the quarter, Clark added another layup, knocked down two free throws and followed with another close-range bucket. She also found Kelsey Mitchell for a 3-pointer that put Indiana back in front 50-48 with 5:03 remaining.
A few possessions later, Clark drove for another layup to extend the Fever’s advantage, further easing concerns about whether she would be able to continue.
Most importantly for Indiana, Clark’s return suggested the frightening exit was not enough to keep her sidelined for the remainder of the game. While the exact nature of the ankle issue was not immediately clear, her return and impactful contribution were encouraging signs.
The Fever still have reason to monitor Clark closely after the game, particularly given how abruptly she went down. For now, though, the biggest takeaway is simple. What initially looked like a potentially serious setback did not end Clark’s night.
And after the arena hushed when its superstar limped toward the locker room, her return offered Indiana much-needed relief.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.