Caitlin Clark, the first home game for the Indiana Fever in over nine months, was marred by a flagrant foul call from Dallas forward Alanna Smith during a game against the Wings. Clark had been sidelined due to a right groin injury since July 15, which forced her to miss several key events including the All-Star Game and All-star weekend festivities. Despite her injury, Clark returned to the court with a strong performance, scoring 21 points and assisting Team USA in the FIBA Women’s World Cup qualifying games. The team's loss to Dallas was seen as an indication of a significant improvement in their performance. Coach Stephanie White also held out All-Stars Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell due to injuries.