The Indiana Fever fell 106-92 to the Los Angeles Sparks, with Caitlin Clark restricted to 16 minutes after a back injury flare. She finished 4-of-12 from the floor, scoring nine points, grabbing four rebounds, dishing three assists and committing four turnovers. Coach Stephanie White said the minutes cap was necessary to build endurance and protect Clark’s back.

Clark, averaging 21.2 points and 8.2 assists before the break, has been an All‑Star starter. She voiced frustration over the restrictions, but the medical staff insisted on the limit. The Fever will rest her on Thursday night against Phoenix, while center Aliyah Boston (leg injury) will play the Mercury. Boston has appeared in 19 of 21 games, averaging 17.1 points and 8.6 rebounds.

Guard Kelsey Mitchell led the Fever with 29 points, but the defense allowed the Sparks to hit 51% from the field and score over 100 points. The team’s offense seemed disjointed, and coach White noted the incident with Alyssa Thomas had no bearing on the decision to rest Clark. The rest will give Clark recovery time before the final road trip game in Las Vegas, where she hopes to return to 25 minutes. The loss keeps the Fever four games behind the division leader, underscoring the need for a stronger defensive effort moving forward.