Caitlin Clark’s Return: Struggles as Golden State Valkyries Dominate Fever 80–61
Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark made her much-anticipated return on July 9, 2025, after a five-game absence due to a left-groin injury. Despite high hopes, the Fever were thoroughly outplayed by the Golden State Valkyries, falling 80–61 in Indianapolis.
🔥 Game Summary & Key Performances
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Golden State’s defense set the tone early, limiting the Fever to just 61 points—Indiana’s second-lowest total of the season WNBA+12CBS Sports+12San Francisco Chronicle+12.
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Veronica Burton led the Valkyries with a career-high 21 points, adding eight rebounds and six assists ESPN+4CBS Sports+4San Francisco Chronicle+4.
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Kayla Thornton supported with 18 points and eight boards, while the Valkyries hit 12-of-32 from deep to break the game open CBS Sports+1CBS Sports+1.
Caitlin Clark’s Stat Line: Behind the Numbers
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Points | 10 |
| Field Goals | 4‑of‑12 (33.3%) |
| 3‑PTs | 0‑of‑7 |
| Rebounds | 5 |
| Assists | 6 |
| Turnovers | 4 |
| Minutes | 25 |
Clark shot 4-of-12 overall and went scoreless from beyond the arc, contributing 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and 4 turnovers The Sun+4CBS Sports+4CBS Sports+4San Francisco Chronicle+9Talksport+9New York Post+9San Francisco Chronicle.
What Went Wrong for Clark & the Fever
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Fresh off injury, Clark couldn’t find rhythm as Golden State deployed heavy, rotating defense to keep her off-balance New York Post+2Facebook+2New York Post+2.
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The Fever struggled collectively, shooting a combined 6-of-27 from three and managing just 26 paint points Facebook+10San Francisco Chronicle+10Talksport+10.
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After cutting the deficit to 55–50, Indiana was unable to sustain momentum as Golden State used back-to-back runs to pull away decisively Wikipédia+15CBS Sports+15CBS Sports+15.
Broader Context & Implications
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This marks the Valkyries’ second blowout win over Indiana (previously 88–77 on June 19) and reinforces their defensive blueprint for containing Clark San Francisco Chronicle+6CBS Sports+6San Francisco Chronicle+6.
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Caitlin Clark now averages 18.2 PPG, 5.0 RPG, and 8.9 APG this season, but her three-point accuracy has dipped to 29.5% Wikipédia+15ESPN+15San Francisco Chronicle+15.
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Indiana remains 9–10, fighting for consistency and playoff positioning in the Eastern Conference.
Next Up
Clark and the Fever aim to bounce back soon, as Indiana prepares for their next matchup—seeking to regain confidence and offensive cohesion.
