The Indiana Fever may have walked away with a crucial 85–77 win over the Connecticut Sun—but the celebration was cut painfully short.

Caitlin Clark, the face of the franchise and a rising WNBA superstar, delivered a breathtaking fourth-quarter performance that single-handedly swung the game in Indiana’s favor. But just moments after sealing the win, she clutched her groin, broke down in tears, and was helped off the court with only a minute left on the clock.

This isn’t just any injury. It’s the second groin injury Clark has suffered this season—this time on the opposite side—and it couldn’t have come at a worse moment.

For most of the game, Clark had been unusually quiet, scoring just five points heading into the final quarter. But when it mattered most, she flipped a switch. In a thrilling burst of energy and focus, she dropped nine critical points in the fourth, including her first three-pointer of the night. Her court vision also shined, setting up a key layup for Kelsey Mitchell that ultimately sealed the game.

Then everything came crashing down.

Right after the assist, Clark began limping, clutching her groin and visibly crying as trainers rushed to her side. She was taken off the court immediately, with only seconds left in regulation. What should’ve been a victory lap turned into a nightmare.

The timing couldn’t be worse. The Fever face the powerhouse New York Liberty in less than 24 hours, and Clark’s availability is now highly uncertain. But even more concerning is what this means for the upcoming WNBA All-Star Weekend.

Clark was named captain of her All-Star team—a major honor in her rookie season—and is scheduled to compete in the much-anticipated 3-point contest against big names like Sabrina Ionescu and Kelsey Plum. But with this new injury, there’s a very real chance she could miss both.

Fans and analysts alike are questioning how the league will move forward if one of its brightest young stars is sidelined. The WNBA has heavily promoted Clark as the centerpiece of this year’s All-Star festivities, and her absence would be a devastating blow—not just to the Fever, but to the league as a whole.

This latest setback adds to a growing list of injuries that have plagued Clark throughout her rookie campaign: two groin strains, and two quad issues, all within just a few months. She only recently returned from her last groin injury and was starting to find her rhythm again.

The emotional weight of it all was written across her face as she was helped off the floor. This wasn’t just physical pain—it was the anguish of a competitor who gave everything to win, only to pay a steep price.

And let’s not ignore the chaos that surrounded the game itself. The matchup against Connecticut was physical from the start. Tempers flared, fouls piled up, and at one point, Aliyah Boston appeared to be punched—an incident that inexplicably drew no call from the referees. Clark herself got into heated arguments with the officials, frustrated by the lack of protection and apparent inconsistency in foul calls.

“It’s absurd,” one fan commented after the game. “They let them play like it’s a street fight. No wonder players keep getting hurt.”

Clark’s fourth-quarter heroics might have saved the Fever’s playoff hopes, but the cost could be enormous. If she misses the Liberty game, Indiana’s already thin lineup will be tested against one of the league’s top teams. And if she’s forced to sit out All-Star Weekend, the WNBA will lose its most bankable star during its biggest showcase event.

As fans wait anxiously for an official injury update, one thing is clear: Caitlin Clark is giving everything she has—and more—for her team. But how much more can her body take?

The Fever may have secured the win, but the questions now loom larger than the scoreboard: Will Clark recover in time for All-Star Weekend? Or has this season taken one injury too many?

For now, all eyes are on the trainer’s table. And once again, the WNBA holds its breath.