Fever vs Mercury tonight: Clark out, time and how to watch
The Indiana Fever face the Phoenix Mercury on Thursday, July 9, at 10 p.m. ET at Mortgage Matchup Center, and Caitlin Clark will not play as Indiana manages her back injury on the second night of a back-to-back. Stream the fever mercury matchup on Amazon Prime Video; Aliyah Boston is expected back in the lineup.
Key Takeaways
- Caitlin Clark is ruled out Thursday with a managed back issue — not a new injury — after playing 16 minutes Wednesday against the Sparks.
- Tipoff is 10 p.m. ET (7 p.m. PT) at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix; the game streams on Amazon Prime Video.
- Aliyah Boston, who sat Wednesday with a lower leg injury, is set to play as the Fever and Mercury meet for the first time since their June 24 thriller.
- The teams split two heated June meetings in Indianapolis, including the Alyssa Thomas incident that led to a one-game suspension.
- Indiana urged fans on Instagram to grab a 7 Brew drink before late-night tipoff on the road trip's first back-to-back.
Why is Caitlin Clark not playing against the Mercury?
Clark will sit Thursday, and the Fever say the decision is about recovery — not a fresh setback. She returned Wednesday against the Los Angeles Sparks after missing two games with a back injury aggravated during Indiana's June 24 loss to Phoenix.
Head coach Stephanie White confirmed Clark would sit the second leg of the back-to-back. Clark told reporters before Wednesday's game she would not be available in Phoenix because of minute restrictions and her progression back, adding that her body felt good despite the tough road schedule.
Clark logged just 16 minutes against the Sparks, finishing with nine points, four rebounds and three assists in a 106-92 loss. The Fever are prioritizing long-term health over forcing their star into a rivalry rematch on zero rest.
What time and channel is the Fever vs Mercury game?
The fever mercury game tips off at 10 p.m. ET on Thursday, July 9, at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix. That is 7 p.m. local time in Arizona.
Amazon Prime Video carries the national stream under the WNBA's current media rights setup — a shift that has made finding nightly tip times and platforms part of the modern viewing puzzle, a topic we cover in our Future Tech & AI Wonders section.
For authoritative viewing details, see the USA TODAY live updates guide.
What happened the last time these teams played?
Phoenix and Indiana have met twice in June, splitting at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The Fever won 86-77 on June 22 in a game that featured a heated argument between Sophie Cunningham and DeWanna Bonner.
Two nights later, the Mercury edged Indiana 111-109. In the second quarter, Alyssa Thomas made contact with Clark's throat during a scramble; Clark stayed in but left early with 5:15 left in the third quarter. The WNBA later suspended Thomas one game for recklessly making contact with Clark's throat.
Thursday marks the first meeting since that nationally scrutinized finish. Clark has since called for an end to harassment directed at Thomas and Phoenix players, saying the hate is not OK.
What else should fans know before tipoff?
Indiana rides a four-game West Coast road trip that opened Sunday with an 84-68 win at Las Vegas. Wednesday's Sparks loss was the Fever's first back-to-back test of the season without Clark on night two.
On Instagram, the Fever posted a graphic urging fans to grab a refreshing beverage from 7 Brew before the 10 p.m. tipoff, captioning it "CLOCKING IN FOR LATE-NIGHT HOOPS." 7 Brew is a drive-thru coffee chain that also serves energy drinks, sodas, smoothies and teas.
Phoenix guard Sami Whitcomb was set for her season debut on a minutes restriction, while Sophie Cunningham was cleared to play through back spasms, per pregame updates from both coaching staffs.