Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark left in the third quarter of Wednesday night's 111-109 home loss to the Phoenix Mercury because of a back issue and did not return.
Clark had 19 points and eight assists when she left with 5:15 left in the quarter. She sat out a game last May because of a sore back.
It was the second time in three days the Fever and Mercury faced off in Indianapolis. Clark had 24 points and nine assists in the Fever's 86-77 win Monday in a game that had six technical fouls called and one ejection.
The physical play continued Wednesday night. On one play in the second quarter, Clark fell to the court on a drive and, as players fought for the loose ball, Phoenix's Alyssa Thomas appeared to push her fist into Clark's neck. No foul was called.
Indiana's Aliyah Boston picked up a flagrant foul 1 later in the game when her elbow made contact with the Mercury guard Kahleah Copper's face.