Each year, WNBA “Rivals Week” unfolds with high expectations, showcasing thrilling matchups that fans circle on their calendars. But this year, the much-anticipated clash between the Indiana Fever and Chicago Sky has lost its headline stars.

Both Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese are sidelined, forcing this marquee game into an unexpected test of team depth and resilience.

A Misfire for the Big Show
Saturday night’s game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse (8 p.m. ET, CBS, and Paramount+) will mark the fourth showdown between the Fever and Sky this season. Yet the plot has taken a sharp turn.

Clark isn’t playing; Reese isn’t either Rivals Week was building up this matchup as the showdown of the year—now it feels like something else entirely.

Indiana’s Backcourt Nightmare
The Fever’s injury woes go deeper than Clark’s absence. Just days ago, both Aari McDonald and Sydney Colson were ruled out for the season—McDonald with a broken foot, Colson with a torn ACL.

That leaves Indiana with just nine rostered players and no available point guards. The team will only be eligible to add replacements after Saturday’s game via a hardship exception.

Sky Without Their Spark
Chicago isn’t in great shape either. Reese, who has been the team’s leading scorer and rebounder, is also out with a back injury and hasn’t played in eight of their last 10 games. Both teams will enter Saturday’s rematch shorthanded and scrambling.

Rivals Week Reimagined
This matchup was supposed to be the centerpiece of the week—a heated Clark vs. Reese duel you couldn’t afford to miss. But without either leading star, the spotlight shifts. Now, the intrigue lies in how team structures hold up under pressure, how coaches adjust, and whether role players step into the moment

Why It Still Matters
Despite missing its most compelling storyline, the game still counts—and it might reveal more about these teams than a star-filled showdown ever could.

Can Indiana survive with their bench and limited rotation? Will Chicago finally gain footing without Reese’s leadership? For fans, this game could become an unexpected live case study in adaptability.

In the end, warts and all, Saturday’s game promises intensity. Sure, it’s not the spectacle we expected—but when survival trumps star power, sometimes the real story lies behind the headlines.