Fever move Caitlin Clark's home debut to accommodate Pacers' playoff game

The home debut of Caitlin Clark with the Indiana Fever has been pushed up by one day.

The Fever's preseason game against the Atlanta Dream, scheduled for May 10, now will be played Thursday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The move is being made to allow the Indiana Pacers and the New York Knicks to meet in Game 3 of the NBA's Eastern Conference semifinals series at the venue.

Clark and the Fever open the short exhibition season Friday night against the Dallas Wings in Arlington, Texas.

As many as 17,000 fans are expected at Gainbridge Fieldhouse to see Clark and the Fever next week.

Clark, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, led Iowa to back-to-back NCAA Tournament finals appearances the past two seasons. She set numerous NCAA records with the Hawkeyes, including most points ever in college basketball for a man or woman in Division I.

The Fever are scheduled to open the WNBA season on May 14 against the Connecticut Sun in Uncasville, Conn.

Due to the interest in Clark, 36 of the Fever's 40 regular-season game are slated to air on national television.