The injury-plagued Indiana Fever (19-17) are growing weaker, but Kelsey Mitchell is holding strong and doing her best to help keep the team in playoff position. Caitlin Clark has missed more than a month straight with a groin injury and has only played in 13 games this season, forcing the No. 2 overall pick in the 2018 WNBA Draft to take on more responsibilities as a scorer and playmaker. She is more than capable of shouldering that burden.
Mitchell was already an established offensive difference-maker entering the 2025 campaign, but she has gained even more recognition and respect for leading this adversity-stricken squad. The three-time All-Star is averaging a career-high 20.6 points per game this season and continues to collect accolades. Most importantly, Mitchell's efforts are allowing the Fever to remain in the playoff picture.
Her teammates are acknowledging her impact. Clark and the Fever wore “MVP Mitchell” shirts ahead of Friday night's face-off with the Minnesota Lynx (29-7). She did not let the big endorsement get to her head, though. The Cincinnati, Ohio native is just grateful to step on the court and compete.
“I always loved basketball enough to keep working at it and be my best at it, so I'd like to think that's what you guys see now,” Mitchell told the WNBA on ION crew before Indiana's 95-90 home loss to Minnesota. “What you guys see is just me trying to be me.”
"I always loved basketball enough to keep working at it and be my best at it so I'd like to think that's what you guys see now."
Kelsey Mitchell reacts to Caitlin Clark's shirt hyping her up for MVP. 🤝#IONWNBA | @IndianaFever pic.twitter.com/Ab40QMKO8V
— WNBA on ION (@IONWNBA) August 22, 2025
The Fever need Kelsey Mitchell to maintain form heading into the homestretch
Mitchell scored 27 points on 9-of-20 shooting versus the WNBA-leading Lynx, breaking the Fever's single-season record for most 20-point-plus games. Unfortunately, Indy could not maintain momentum and cooled off in the second half. Jessica Shepard posted a masterful triple-double consisting of 22 points on 10-of-11 shooting with 11 rebounds and 10 assists, and Kayla McBride exploded for a game-high 29 points to boost Minnesota to victory.
Despite Kelsey Mitchell shining again and Lexie Hull giving the Fever a career-high 23 points in 38 minutes, the Fever leave Gainbridge Fieldhouse with a tough loss. The sixth-place squad has now lost five of its last seven contests and is just one and a half games clear of the ninth-place Los Angeles Sparks. Indiana is in survival mode right now.
Clark's return timeline is still unknown, and Sophie Cunningham, Sydney Colson and Aari McDonald all recently suffered season-ending injuries. Although Kelsey Mitchell will not win MVP honors this year, she is more valuable to this franchise than ever before. The sharpshooter dropped 38 points in a huge comeback victory versus the Connecticut Sun last Sunday, and she will need to stay hot if the Fever are going to make the playoffs.
They will try to quickly regroup before battling the Lynx again on Sunday, this time in the Target Center.
