Caitlin Clark dodges a knee scare after Flagrant 1 in Fever-Wings preseason

Indiana held its breath for about a quarter. Clark went up for a step-back three in the third, came down on Alanna Smith's foot, and landed flush on her right kneecap. The crowd at Gainbridge Fieldhouse went silent. Officials reviewed and tagged Smith — the reigning co-Defensive Player of the Year — with a Flagrant 1.

Clark stayed on the floor for a beat, got up, hit the free throws, then was pulled by Stephanie White as a precaution. She finished with a game-high 21 in the 95-80 loss to Dallas. Bueckers had 20 in the half for the Wings. The two went viral on a midcourt exchange.

Postgame, Clark was direct: "I feel good. I just landed on my kneecap really hard." White confirmed it was precaution, nothing structural. Clark practiced Monday in a knee sleeve, played heavy minutes in the Fever's blowout of Nigeria, and is locked in for Saturday's regular-season opener — the Fever-Wings rematch that brings together the last four No. 1 picks.