Raven Johnson is questionable for Tuesday’s Indiana Fever game against Toronto because of a left ankle injury. Johnson popped up on the injury report after she twisted her ankle in the portion of practice open to media Monday morning.
Caitlin Clark Still Battling Bad Back Despite Success On The Court
The more concerning name on Monday’s injury report is superstar Caitlin Clark, whose recurring back problems will have her listed as probable for every game going forward.
Indiana Fever coach Stephanie White confirmed this is how she will handle Clark, after the league issued a warning to Indiana for improper reporting practices with Clark’s back in May.
Clark hasn’t shown any effects of the back over her first 13 games, as she’s averaging 20.3 points, 4.6 rebounds and 7.8 assists while helping the Indiana Fever to an 8-5 record. After a rocky start, Indiana has won three straight and is beginning to look more like the championship contender that they were predicted to be.
Protecting Her Back Is Very Important For Caitlin Clark
With Clark’s back still not 100 percent, it’s very important that she limits her rough contact with opposing players. Caitlin Clark’s relationship with her teammates, her coach, the referees and the women of the WNBA has been discussed at an exhausting pace since she entered the league.
Every time she taunts an opponent or they give her a shove that fans deem too hard, the pity parade begins. We can go back to her rookie season when Magic Johnson said her teammates have to protect her more.
The lower body injuries she sustained that cut her 2025 season to 13 games were also blamed by some Clark supporters on jealous players across the league targeting her with hard fouls and borderline dirty play.
Clark’s shooting has been a point of concern this season as she’s struggled to find the consistent stroke that made her a legend before she ever entered the WNBA and won her Rookie of the Year honors in 2024.
The blame game is still going around and when former NBA players who barely watch the WNBA give their two cents it’s usually pro-Clark.
Robert Horry Has Advice For Clark
Seven-time NBA champion Robert Horry recently offered some advice for Caitlin Clark when the 55-year-old was asked about the criticism the Indiana Fever star has gotten for complaining to the referees.
He said she should fight back and protect herself.
“You think about when you’re the best, everybody wants to knock you out. And I think a lot of people are going after her, and, for me, just play the game,” Horry told Fox News Digital at The World Cup 2026 Kickoff Party Blue Carpet at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
“Some other players around the league didn’t protect themselves, and the [harassment] went on, so my best advice [for] her is protect yourself. Don’t let anybody try to punk you,” he added.
Horry went on to reminisce about great players from his day who didn’t protect themselves properly, like 7-1 Shaquille’ O’Neal, whom Horry played with on the L.A. Lakers.
“I think I [played] with one of the greatest players [in] Shaquille O’Neal, he got hammered. I know he’s bigger and stronger than Caitlin, but he got to a point where he just started fighting back. You know, someone [elbowed him], you elbow him back,” he said.
Clark is known for absorbing and initiating a lot of contact when she plays, and she is constantly barking at the referees for calls or favor, which has turned off a lot of fans and casual observers of the league.
Clark made the WNBA world forget her recent shooting woes by burying a game-winning 3-pointer to help secure a 78-76 win over the Washington Mystics last Monday. Clark had 19 points, five assists and three rebounds in the win, helping the 6-5 Fever avoid falling below .500.
Horry’s seven championships are impressive, but in 16 NBA seasons, he was never considered one of the superstars of the league and certainly not a candidate for “face of the league.”
He started his career with the Houston Rockets, spending four and a half seasons with them and contributing to their back-to-back NBA titles in 1993-94 and 1994-95 seasons. The Alabama native was then traded to the Phoenix Suns, where he spent half a season before signing with the Los Angeles Lakers and supporting Kobe and Shaq during their historic three-peat from 1999-2001. From there he moved on to another all-time great team, winning his last two championships with the Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginolbili-led Spurs (2004-05 and 2006-07)
In 16 seasons, Horry averaged 7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game, but he’s known as the consummate professional and he’s definitely played with enough Hall of Famers and All-Stars to notice when they are being targeted or “punked.”
Horry Didn’t Feel This Way When Clark Was A Rookie
Horry’s comments are much different than the one he gave about the physicality towards her on The “Dan Patrick Show” during her rookie season.
“There’s certain players you don’t talk trash too,” You got to understand if your’e a rookie its best sometimes to stay silent,” Horry said.
“It’s just basketball at the end of the day. Every rookie is going to get tested. … We treated everyone that way, it don’t matter who you are. No one complained about Angel Reese getting hip-checked and thrown to the ground,” he added.
Watching Clark play for three years, one thing is for sure: Nobody punks her. If anything, it’s the opposite. She punks refs, assistant coaches and other players. Her celebrations are often filled with exuberance and a clear lack of humility, which rubs the opposition the wrong way.
Sophie Cunningham’s value to the team skyrocketed when she showed that she would be willing to be Clark’s “enforcer” and throw hands in order to protect the golden goose.
Physical contact has been the least of Clark’s problems this season, but as long as she is the most well-known and polarizing figure in women’s hoops, the attention and focus will always be on helping her elevate to the Michael Jordan/Steph Curry heights that were predicted upon her leaving Iowa.
