CHICAGO —
Championships are often said to be built on solid defense. That’s the old saying, right?
The Fever are trying to change that narrative this season, leaning heavily on their remarkable backcourt.
In their latest game on Sunday, Indiana surged in the second half to decisively beat the Sky, 113-90, marking the end of a grueling five-game road trip. Caitlin Clark scored 37 points and provided 10 assists—this marked her fifth career game with at least 30 points and 10 assists. The rest of WNBA history only has four players who can say that.
Meanwhile, Kelsey Mitchell added 23 points in the second half, finishing her night with 30 points, which further extended her impressive streak of 23 consecutive games scoring at least 20 points.
What’s more, the Fever are on track to have the highest offensive rating in WNBA history, a lot of which can be attributed to their star players.
“I think it helps take the pressure off me, especially during intense moments like this,” Clark mentioned, talking about her dynamics with Mitchell. “When the game is fast-paced, you can always find her for a cut or in isolation. She truly simplifies things for me when we’re on the court, and she draws a lot of defensive attention.
“It’s incredible that she scored 23 points in the second half after just seven at halftime. I don’t think everyone realizes how tough that is, but she consistently pulls it off.”
Clark has made extraordinary performances feel routine, too. This past Sunday marked her 11th game this season with at least 20 points and 10 assists. That’s a record—no other player in league history has managed more than 10 in their entire career.
The duo’s simultaneous 30-point performances against Chicago marked the third occasion they’ve achieved that together, setting a new record for the WNBA. Kelsey is also set to break the single-season points record held by A’ja Wilson.
Clark’s 37 points this Sunday were the third-highest in franchise history—a record she already holds—and she hit a personal-best of eight three-pointers. Together, they sank 14 threes, contributing to the Fever’s total of 18 for a franchise record.
The list of their achievements just keeps growing. In a game like this, they were essential.
Interestingly, Indiana came into this showdown struggling. This was the fifth game in just eight days, with all matches played away from home and covering over 4,000 miles. They had already lost to Dallas and New York during this stretch.
In a playoff race as tight as this season’s, even a small losing streak can drastically twist the postseason picture. To make things tougher, they were missing Aliyah Boston due to a leg injury, making it feel like an uphill battle to end the skid.
The first half featured a frenetic back-and-forth pace, with the teams practically trading leads, Chicago slightly ahead at 51-50. However, the second half was a different story altogether.
The Fever jumped ahead quickly in the third quarter, going on a 19-7 run to take a double-digit lead. With Mitchell scoring 14 points in that quarter, Indiana finished it with an 83-77 lead going into the fourth. From there, Clark and Mitchell completely took charge, exchanging three-pointers, forcing turnovers, and setting up teammates to widen the lead.
“I knew I had to step up for my team tonight,” Clark said. “With Boston out, it does hurt our squad a bit, so I felt like I needed to carry a little extra weight.
“It’s about mindset in back-to-back situations. You can either think, ‘Oh, I’m so tired’ from being on the road, or you can toughen up and just play basketball and have a good time. I believe we came in with great energy and a positive mindset for this game.”
This win felt particularly significant for the Fever. A third successive loss could have jeopardized their chances for home-court advantage in the playoffs. It would have also left the team, who won’t be playing again until Friday, stewing for almost a week after three consecutive losses.
“This is huge, really important,” White remarked about the victory. “After all, this is the end of six games in ten days, and we came into this match against a team that’s in excellent form. I’m really proud of our group for their energy and burst in the fourth quarter.”
With this win, Indiana is back in the playoff picture, just behind Atlanta, Las Vegas, and Golden State. Everything is still within reach for the Fever as they head into the final six games—five of which will be after the upcoming FIBA break.
The previous season revealed how dangerous the Fever can be in the playoffs. Lacking Clark, they took the eventual champions to the wire in the semifinals, losing in overtime. But this year, they have Clark at a top level.
And Mitchell is right there with her. This is a pairing that the league hasn’t seen much of, if at all. Individually, either of them can dominate a game. As a team, the Fever hopes they can make a significant playoff run together.
