After playing all 139 games of her college career, Clark had a smooth transition to the WNBA with the Fever, cruising through her first 46 games. But just two weeks into the 2025 season, she ended up missing her first game after suffering a left quad injury during a matchup against the New York Liberty. Her absence was clearly felt, with a 55% drop in viewership and noticeably vacant seats in arenas.But not anymore as Clark has finally been cleared to play, and ironically, she’ll make her return against the very same team: the New York Liberty. “I felt like today was better than yesterday in terms of just, you know, movement and balance and feeling like she’s getting back into rhythm, timing, all of those things,” head coach Stephanie White said. “And, you know, as long as we don’t have any regression, she’s gonna be ready to roll.”It’s been three weeks since Clark last took the court, but this time, she’s back with redemption on her mind. Not only is her team carrying a 4–5 record, but the last time she played against the Liberty, it ended in a narrow 90–88 loss. With a fresh perspective from watching the game from the sidelines, she’s expected to lead the Fever toward their first win over the Liberty this season. But is it really going to be that easy?While Liberty misses JJ, Fever comes up without Bonner!So, while CC is back, there’s another important piece missing from the Indiana Fever lineup. It all comes up as the team has officially listed DeWanna Bonner as unavailable for Saturday’s clash against the Liberty, as she is currently away from the team due to personal reasons.“We’re going to continue to support her and give her the time that she needs. I don’t anticipate her being here (Saturday), and just with her right now, it’s supporting her and giving her what she needs,” shared Coach Stephanie White regarding Bonner. While the reason behind her absence remains unclear, there’s currently no update on her return. And let’s be honest, losing a player who averages 7.1 points and 3.8 rebounds per game is a big blow, especially when facing the No. 1 team in the league.Credits: ImagnHowever, Bonner is the only one absent for Indiana as Cunningham is expected to suit up, despite dealing with a minor knee issue. Given how much depth she brings to the wing rotation, especially in Bonner’s absence, she’s likely to play. After all, the Fever’s backup option, Aari McDonald, has already been waived following the expiration of her hardship contract per WNBA regulations.But while the Fever are missing a key contributor, the Liberty aren’t at full strength either. They’ll potentially be without their star forward Jonquel Jones. The 2024 WNBA Finals MVP and All-Star is listed as day-to-day with an ankle issue and is questionable for Saturday’s matchup.Of course, her absence would be a major blow to New York’s frontcourt, as Jones offers elite rebounding and rim protection. But she’s not the only one out as Leonie Fiebich will also miss the game. While she’s not injured, the forward is away due to international commitments. For those unaware, Fiebich is representing the German national team at the EuroBasket tournament. Her contract has been temporarily suspended, and she’s expected to return by the end of June once the tournament concludes.A look at the starting lineupHere’s the expected starting five for both teams!NY LibertyNatasha CloudSabrina IonescuRebekah GardnerBreanna StewartNyara SaballyIndiana FeverCaitlin ClarkKelsey MitchellSydney ColsonNatasha HowardAliyah BostonSo, who do you think has an edge??Can Caitlin Clark and the Fever upset the NY Liberty?With CC back on the court, Indiana Fever fans have every reason to storm Gainbridge Fieldhouse. And it’s definitely going to be an uphill battle, as the team is facing the best squad in the league with a perfect 9-0 record. But it’s a lot more competitive than it looks, especially since New York is coming in with an average of 90.4 points per game.Even if the Fever put together a strong offensive showing, say by cracking their own average of 81.6 points per game, New York still allows just 71.4 points on average. That means Indiana will need an almost perfect night just to keep up, especially if the Liberty play even close to their usual defensive standard. The last time these two teams met, Indiana kept it close only because New York had a rare off-night shooting the ball.Let’s also talk about net rating—New York is lapping the league with a +23.4, which is 12.5 points better than the next-best team. The Fever? They’re 16.5 points behind. That’s a massive gap, and it shows not just in scoring but in overall execution on both ends. And that’s why even ESPN predicts the Liberty to win, giving them a 67% chance. But with Clark back, we’ve got every reason to keep our hopes, and maybe even put our bets on the Fever!The post Indiana Fever vs NY Liberty: Injury Report, Starting 5, & Prediction as Caitlin Clark Returns from Injury appeared first on EssentiallySports.