Caitlin Clark scored 7 in her return from injury as the Indiana Fever beat the New York Liberty 109-91 in their preseason opener Saturday at Barclays Center.
Caitlin Clark scored 7 points in 17 minutes in her first WNBA game in nine months as the Indiana Fever beat the New York Liberty 109-91 in a preseason opener Saturday at Barclays Center.
Clark went 2-of-10 from the field and 1-of-5 from 3-point range with 4 assists. She had not played since July 15, 2025, when she suffered a groin strain against the Connecticut Sun that ended her sophomore season after 13 games. She returned to competition last month with Team USA at FIBA World Cup qualifying, where she was named tournament MVP.
"Probably around 20 to 25 minutes," Clark said before the game. "It's not a minute restriction or anything like that. We just want to see different lineups and give opportunities to people trying to make the team."
Kelsey Mitchell and Shatori Walker-Kimbrough each scored 18 points to lead the Fever. Sophie Cunningham added 13 on 3-of-6 shooting from 3-point range.
Raven Johnson, the No. 10 overall pick in this year's WNBA Draft, had 6 points, 3 rebounds, and a game-high 8 assists in 17 minutes in her professional debut. The South Carolina rookie also had 2 blocks and a steal.
"I try to help, especially Raven, who will handle the ball and run the offense," Clark said before the game. "That's a big responsibility. I encourage her to use her voice. She's a great defender."
Clark made Indiana's first basket on a floater and hit a 3-pointer from 29 feet on a later possession.
Indiana led 32-24 after the first quarter. Breanna Stewart scored 10 straight points to open the second, and Han Xu, back in the WNBA after a season in Australia, gave the Liberty a 39-34 lead. Mitchell answered with 10 consecutive points, and the Fever took a 53-48 lead at halftime.
The Fever led 74-68 entering the fourth quarter, then closed the game on a 21-4 run.
Indiana played without Aliyah Boston, who was held out as a precaution, and Lexie Hull. New York played without Satou Sabally, who is recovering from a concussion sustained during the 2025 WNBA Finals.
Indiana plays its second preseason game Thursday against the Dallas Wings at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on ION. The matchup will feature Paige Bueckers and No. 1 overall pick Azzi Fudd in their first game together as professionals. The teams open the regular season May 9.