Kelsey Mitchell gave the Indiana Fever another huge offensive performance Tuesday, scoring 29 points on 11-of-16 shooting in a 101-95 win over the Toronto Tempo. She scored 16 points in the first quarter and reached 20 points for the 20th consecutive game. Mitchell also added three rebounds and two assists.
However, Mitchell did not play in the fourth quarter and left for the locker room late in the game, fueling concerns about a possible health setback.. The Fever had to close out the game without their leading scorer as Toronto mounted a late rally, but Caitlin Clark and Sophie Cunningham helped Indiana hold on. Clark finished with 24 points and seven assists, while Cunningham provided 13 points off the bench.
Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
On Wednesday, Mitchell was listed on the team’s injury report as probable with an illness. But Mitchell was later named a starter after the Fever announced that she will be available for Thursday’s game against Paige Bueckers and the Dallas Wings.
Fever coach Stephanie White initially eased concerns about Mitchell after Tuesday’s win, saying she appeared to have simply gotten overheated in the steamy Scotiabank Arena. “Seems like she just got overheated,” White said, noting that it was the second straight game in a hot environment for Indiana.
Mitchell’s return is important for a Fever team that has leaned heavily on her scoring throughout the season. She is averaging 24.3 points, 1.7 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game, while shooting 50.7% from the field and 44.3% from 3-point range through 36 games.
Indiana enters Thursday at 24-12 and on a five-game winning streak, while Dallas is 20-16 and holding the eighth playoff spot. The Fever then face an even tougher finish to their five-game road trip, playing the New York Liberty on Friday before facing the Chicago Sky on Saturday.
