The Indiana Fever are set to host the New York Liberty today, June 14, 2025, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. All eyes will be on this game as Caitlin Clark makes her return from a left quad strain that sidelined her for the past five games. The game is scheduled for 3:00 PM ET and will be broadcast nationally on ABC.

Injury Report

• Indiana Fever: Caitlin Clark is officially back in the lineup after recovering from a left quad strain she sustained on May 24 against the same New York Liberty. However, veteran forward DeWanna Bonner is out due to personal reasons.
• New York Liberty: The Liberty's center, Jonquel Jones, is questionable with an ankle injury. Leonie Fiebich is out of the lineup as she is representing the German National team at the EuroBasket tournament.

Projected Starting Lineups

• Indiana Fever: The Fever's starting five is expected to feature Caitlin Clark and Lexie Hull as guards, Natasha Howard and Sydney Colson as forwards, and Aliyah Boston at center.
• New York Liberty: The Liberty are likely to start Sabrina Ionescu and Natasha Cloud at guard, Breanna Stewart and Kennedy Burke at forward, and Nyara Sabally at center.

What to Expect

Caitlin Clark's return is a major boost for the Indiana Fever. Before her injury, Clark was averaging 19 points, 6 rebounds, and a league-leading 9.3 assists per game. Her presence on the court will undoubtedly provide a spark for the Fever, who went 2-3 in her absence. However, the Liberty present a tough challenge, as they are currently undefeated with a 9-0 record.

The New York Liberty are the reigning WNBA champions and have been dominant this season. They boast the league's best offensive and defensive ratings, averaging 90.4 points per game while allowing just 71.4. Their balanced offense, led by Sabrina Ionescu and Breanna Stewart, poses a significant threat to the Fever's defense.

Coach Stephanie White mentioned that Clark had been tracking trends to recognize mismatches, switches, scoring droughts and a failure to string together quality shots. Reading defensive coverages and thinking through how to counteract them in real time is something Clark said that the entire team needs to work on, and she gained an advantage in that from the bench.

Prediction

While the return of Caitlin Clark is a significant morale boost for the Fever and should improve their play, the New York Liberty are a tough opponent. The Liberty's strong defense and balanced offense make them a formidable team to beat. Several factors could influence the outcome such as Clark's reintegration needing to be smooth, and the veteran additions to the Fever needing to deliver. The Fever must build a cohesive, high-paced offense that features Clark but doesn't rely solely on her.

Most predictions lean towards a Liberty victory, but the Fever, with Clark back in the lineup, could keep the game close. Sportskeeda's prediction is a Liberty win by 8 points. Sportsgambler predicts Under 170.5 total points.

Given the Liberty's dominance and the uncertainty surrounding Clark's immediate impact after returning from injury, a cautious prediction would be a New York Liberty win by a narrow margin. It will be interesting to see how Clark performs in her first game back and whether the Fever can capitalize on her return to upset the reigning champions.